San Diego mayor's race

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is out with the first television advertisement in his reelection campaign, a hard hitting spot that aims to paint primary opponent and fellow Republican Steve Francis as a disingenuous political figure.

“The Steve Francis shell game,” an announcer says at the outset of the 30-second ad. “He promised conservatives he wouldn’t raise taxes, then promised massive new ones. Francis said he’d enforce tough immigration laws, then told Latinos just the opposite. Francis blamed unions fro city budget woes, but now cozies up to them for endorsements…We’ve had enough political shell games.”

San Diego mayoral candidate Steve Francis is attempting to tie Republican incumbent Jerry Sanders to President Bush in a new mailer hitting San Diego mailboxes two weeks ahead of the June 3 primary.

“Why has the Republican Party endorsed Jerry Sanders for Mayor?” the mailer asks under a picture of Sanders sitting next to President Bush. The mailer then seeks to answer that question in a list, including: “Because Sanders has no plans to protect the environment and stop global warming,” “Because Sanders gives favors to fat cat developers at the expense of working families,” and “Because Sanders puts political cronies on the payroll instead of truly reforming City Hall.”

Sanders campaign manager Michael McSweeney hit back, accusing Francis, a registered Republican who is seeking to push Sanders to the right during a cycle in which the GOP brand is potentially poisonous, of being disingenuous.