Carl DeMaio says he’s focusing on repealing a gas tax hike, won’t run for Congress

Former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio on Friday put out an announcement that he won’t run for Congress again, instead focusing on an initiative to repeal a state gas-tax increase.

“As you know, I’ve spent the last few weeks listening to supporters who wanted me to run for U.S. Congress – and I want to share my decision with you,” he said in an email to supporters. “While I, too, am frustrated with the lack of results and the double-standards for Washington politicians, I believe the Gas Tax Repeal Initiative campaign and our plans for subsequent reform initiatives in California are so much more important.”

His efforts to repeal last year’s 12-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase, a hike that helps pay for transportation projects, is close to qualifying for the statewide ballot, he said.

“And we won’t stop there! With the success of the Gas Tax Repeal, we will then launch two new reform initiatives in California … focused on repealing the Sanctuary State law and reforming government pension abuses,” DeMaio wrote.

He had been considering a run for the 50th District, an inland seat that includes eastern and northern San Diego County and a part of Temecula. It’s currently represented by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine.

While serious intra-party challenges are rare in primaries and are often rough and costly, Hunter, who is running for re-election, has been fighting a campaign finance scandal for more than two years as well as a related FBI investigation for more one year. Records show that some of Hunter’s campaign contributions were spent on vacations, airfare for a pet rabbit, dental work, and other uses. Hunter said that the purchases were honest mistakes and that he repaid his campaign with personal money.

Hunter is facing two Republican challengers, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and businessman Shamus Sayed. There are two Democratic front-runners — former Department of Labor spokesman Ammar Campa-Najjar and Jamul-Dulzura Union School District board member Josh Butner, a retired Navy SEAL.

The district is one of the most conservative in California. The top two candidates in the June 5 primary, regardless of their party, will face each other in the November general election.

DeMaio, 43 and a conservative talk radio host on KOGO-AM (600), had gone as far as to retrieve nomination papers from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters earlier this week. Friday was the deadline to return the paperwork to qualify for the ballot.

DeMaio served on the San Diego City Council from 2008 until 2012, when he ran for mayor. He finished with 47.5 percent of the vote, losing to Democrat Bob Filner in the general election.

He ran for Congress in 2014 in the 52nd district and lost to now-Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, after receiving 48.4 percent of the vote.

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joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

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