February 26, 2024
Eric Wise, from Voices for Children, gave a presentation about the organization, becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), what that means, and how it greatly helps children in difficult situations.
January 22, 2024
The meeting on this date was actually our annual Welcome Back party. The theme was the Chinese New Year so there was an abundance of delicious Chinese food, although there was plenty of other options and delicious desserts too.
There was a “Democratic Bingo” game! Our special guest, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria attended and gave us all an update of what is going on in city government.
Check out our photo gallery for pictures!
November 27th, 2023
The club welcomed Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert, who is running to be the next San Diego City Attorney. She gave a presentation on who she is and her goals for the office, and the status of her City Attorney campaign. She also answered several thought-provoking questions from the audience.
Club E-Board member Harvey Levine gave a presentation about the events and happenings from the San Diego County Convention that occurred in Escondido on October 28.
Club Vice President Sunny Escovedo and Club E-Board member Hugh Rothman gave a presentation about the events from the California State Democratic Convention which occurred in Sacramento from November 17-19.
October 23rd, 2023
The club welcomed Brian Maienschein, our CA Assemblymember representing Assembly District AD-76, and candidate to be the next San Diego City Attorney. He gave a presentation on what is going on at the State Capitol, legislation being worked on, and the status of his City Attorney campaign. He also answered several though-provoking questions from the audience as well.
In this month’s “My Two Minutes” feature, club member Bill Jaynes talked about how candidates can use text messaging applications to reach a tremendous number of voters.
September 25th, 2023
The club happily welcomed our San Diego City District 5 Councilmember, Marni Von Wilpert, who gave a presentation on what is going on in the city, legislation being worked on, and the status of her reelection campaign. She answered several thought-provoking questions from the audience as well.
In our inaugural “My Two Minutes” feature, Hugh Rothman gave us his opinions about why Ranked Choice Voting should be supported by Democrats (and Republicans too!).
August 28th, 2023
The club went through its endorsement process to determine whether to endorse a candidate for the California Assembly, AD76 race. The candidates are Darshana Patel and Joseph Rocha.
Neither candidate was able to achieve the 60% threshold to receive the club’s endorsement, so the club’s position on this race is No Endorsement. However, the club decided to rate both candidates as Qualified.
July 24th, 2023
Martin Campos, a board member from the Dems For Equality club, gave a presentation on all things LGBTQ+, including terminology, definitions, and detailed history.
Pete Babich, The Director of the San Diego County Democratic Party’s Grassroots Organizing (GO) Team, gave a presentation on the GO Team, why it’s important, why it gets Democrats elected, and how you can help.
July 4th, 2023 Community Fair and Parade
Our club had a lively booth at the Rancho Bernardo Spirit of the 4th Community Fair. Then, the club was honored to welcome longtime Congressman/hero and now candidate for CA Senate, Adam Schiff who walked with us in the Spirit of the 4th Parade! A fun and exciting day for all!
June 26, 2023
Our scheduled featured speaker San Diego Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert, was unable to attend due to illness. The club discussed our upcoming participation in the July 4th festivities in Rancho Bernardo, and then played a Jeopardy game!
May 22, 2023
Jeff McDonald, a reporter from the San Diego Union-Tribune, recently wrote a series of articles titled “Death Behind Bars”. Mr. McDonald gave a presentation on the situation regarding the jail system, and the reasons behind deaths within the jail system, in our city and county jails.
April 24, 2023
Ali Mariko Dressel, from the Climate Action Campaign gave a presentation on what is happening in general, what the city is/should be doing about it, and the goals of the Climate Action Campaign itself.
March 27, 2023
The club bestowed a Friendly Incumbent Endorsement to San Diego City District 5 Councilmember, Marni Von Wilpert.
The club elected the following officers for the 2023-2024 term:
President: Steve Natoli, Vice-President: Sunny Escovedo, Treasurer: Henry Manayan, Secretary: Dinah McNichols
Gary Warth, a reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune gave a presentation on homelessness in San Diego, including his personal experiences reporting about it, and what he has seen on the issue over the years.
Christie Hill and Simon Guzman from CPAT (Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency) gave a quick presentation regarding what SDPD and the city is doing, and not doing, regarding this issue. The presentation was shorter than expected due to too much other content in this month’s meeting, but CPAT will be back to give a more detailed presentation in June.
February 27, 2023
The club welcomed Carol Osborne, the Associate Superintendent for Learning Support Systems at the Poway Unified School District (PUSD). Ms. Osborne gave a presentation on the district’s Racial Equity and Inclusion practices and implementation.
Our Vice-President Hugh Rothman gave a presentation on the upcoming California Democratic Party state convention which will be held May 25-28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Mr. Rothman detailed what the purpose of the convention is, what happens at the convention, and how delegates are chosen or appointed.
January 23, 2023
The club had a wonderful “Welcome Back”party. There was an incredible variety of delicious food, including a taco bar sponsored by Congressman Scott Peters and a dessert table sponsored by Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert. Thank you to all of those who brought yummy salads, entrees, and desserts, and thank you very much to our Food Coordinator Dinah McNichols.
We had awesome decorations, run by our Decorations Coordinator Joan Natoli. Thank you Joan, and all those who helped set up the party, including the decorating, as well as cleaning up. We’d also like to thank Sunny Escovedo, who was in charge of the entire event. Thank you Sunny, and all of the volunteers who helped in some way make this event a huge success. We owe you all a debt of gratitude!
Our featured speaker was Dr. Carl Luna, who gave a detailed presentation on the state of politics in America today, and what we can likely expect in 2024. There is stuff to worry about, sure, but there is still much to be optimistic about as well.
November 28, 2022
Jason Bercovitch, a long-time member and a member of Congressman Scott Peters’ staff, delved into the election results for the US Senate, House, and Governor election results throughout the country and what it means for the country going forward.
Our vice-president Hugh Rothman gave a presentation on the CA state and local election results, particularly the results of the AD76, SD40, and PUSD B and C races.
In general… more good news than bad! Lots to celebrate (-:.
The RB Dem Club Endorsements for November 2022 General Election
| US Representative, Congressional District CA49 | Mike Levin | 06/27/2022 | Won |
| US Representative, Congressional District CA50 | Scott Peters | 06/27/2022 | Won |
| US Representative, Congressional District CA51 | Sara Jacobs | 06/27/2022 | Won |
| California Senate, SD40 | Joseph Rocha | 06/27/2022 | Lost |
| California Assembly, AD76 | Brian Maienschein | 06/27/2022 | Won |
| San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk | Barbara Bry | 01/24/2022 | Lost |
| San Diego County Treasurer/Tax Collector | Greg Hodosevich | 07/25/2022 | Lost |
| Poway Unified School Board, Area B | Frida Brunzell | 06/27/2022 | Lost |
| Poway Unified School Board, Area C | Heather Plotzke | 08/22/2022 | Won |
| Palomar Community College Board Area 1 | Judy Patacsil | 10/24/2022 | Won |
| Palomar Community College Board Area 4 | Kartik Raju | 08/22/2022 | Lost |
| Poway City Council, District 3 | Kevin Juza | 09/26/2022 | Lost |
October 24, 2022
The club bestowed an endorsement in the following race:
— Judy Patacsil, Palomar College Board, District 1
The club also voted to approve club member Dinah McNichols as Club Secretary.
Vice-President Hugh Rothman gave a presentation about the state of key local races in the Rancho Bernardo community, particularly AD76, SD40, and PUSD Area B and C.
President Steve Natoli went over the state of various national races for governors, senators, and some house races.
September 26, 2022
The club bestowed an endorsement in the following race:
– Kevin Juza, Poway City Council, District 3
Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (AD76) discussed how his campaign is going (and how we can help), as well as what is going on in Sacramento, including various bills he authored and got passed.
Our featured speaker was Jason Bercovitch, the Great Explainer of all things “Proposition”. He explained in great detail every proposition and measure on the ballot this election, including what a Yes vote means, what a No vote means, and notable supporters for each side. Wow, it was terrific information!
August 22, 2022
The club bestowed endorsements in the following races:
– Heather Plotzke, Poway Unified School District Board, Area C
– Kartik Raju, Palomar College Board, District 4
Our featured speaker was Joseph Rocha, our endorsed candidate for the California State Senate, District 40 (which includes Rancho Bernardo). Joseph gave us some background about his life including how he came to this point in his life where he is now running for this political office. He answered questions from the audience on various topics, including housing and homelessness, state and local governments working together, and climate change.
July 25, 2022
The club bestowed an endorsement in the following race:
– Greg Hodosevich, San Diego County Treasurer/Tax Collector
Our featured speaker was Marni von Wilpert, wthe San Diego County City Councilmember representing District 5 (including Rancho Bernardo). Marni gave a detailed presentation on goings on at City Hall and efforts that she has worked on personally. She also answered various questions including how things are going regarding the fight against homelessness, as well as the situation regarding 101 Ash St.
June 27, 2022
The club bestowed endorsements in the following races:
– Mike Levin, US Representative, Congressional District CA49
– Scott Peters, US Representative, Congressional District CA50
– Sara Jacobs, US Representative, Congressional District CA51
– Joseph Rocha, California Senate, District 40
– Brian Maienschein, California Assembly, District 76
– Frida Brunzell, Poway Unified School Board, Area B
Our featured speaker was Ami Admire, who is the director of the Rincon Youth Storytellers and also a Native Connections Coordinator for the Indian Health Council. Ami gave a presentation which included history about Native American issues, and the many challenges the community faces today.
Our Vice-President Hugh Rothman gave a recap of the results of the 2022 Primary Election, how those results affect our community, and the challenging races we need to focus on for the November 2022 general election.
May 23, 2022
Neal Ortiguerra, from Planned Parenthood, gave a presentation detailing the plans of the organization with the expected repeal of Roe v. Wade.
Our Vice-President, Hugh Rothman, provided information about the key races affecting our community for the 2022 Primary Election.
April 25, 2022
Keith Mikas, President of the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego, gave a presentation on Electric Vehicles, including what is available, and what the city and county are doing to promote them.
Frida Brunzell, candidate for PUSD School Board Area B, gave a presentation on dyslexia and what PUSD is doing (and not doing) to help students with this issue.
March 28, 2022
Thank you to our outgoing officers Becky Burrola and Sunny Escovedo for their fantastic service to our club the previous year (the other two officers, Hugh Rothman and Steve Natoli are simply switching places). And a huge thank you to our new incoming officers Henry Manayan and Keith Mikas!
The club welcomed Frida Brunzell, a candidate for the PUSD School Board Area B seat. This is one of the most critical races in our community. Frida is attempting to flip this seat from R to D and if she is successful, the board would become majority Democrat again. Frida has been a member of our club for several years. She introduced herself and also told us why she is running for this seat, including how important this seat is for the benefit of our students in this school district.
The club also welcomed Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party. Chairman Rodriguez-Kennedy gave a presentation about key races in San Diego County (particularly those races affecting our community), and also gave details on what the San Diego County Democratic Party is doing to get Democrats elected!
February 28, 2022
The club also was introduced to Joseph Rocha, who is running for California State Senate SD 40, which is now the district representing Rancho Bernardo after redistricting occurred.
January 24, 2022
The club decided to endorse Barbara Bry for the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk race and Dave Myers for the San Diego County Sheriff race.
Also, E-Board member Harvey Levine gave a brief summary of what changed with regards to where Rancho Bernardo and neighboring communities ended up after redistricting
November 22, 2021
Harvey Levine, one of our E-Board members, gave a presentation on the plan from SANDAG, including what it is and what it means for future transportation in our county.
The club also approved a bylaw change, which was that officers will now serve one year terms rather than two year terms.
October 25, 2021
Scott Chipman, Vice President of AALM.info – Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana, gave the CON side of whether cannabis dispensaries should be allowed in our community of Rancho Bernardo. (Note: The PRO side of this topic was presented at our September meeting).
We also noticed the club of a bylaws change which will be voted upon during our November meeting.
September 27, 2021
Jason Bercovitch, who is on Congressman Scott Peters’ staff, gave a presentation on the congressman’s vote on various bills regarding prescription drugs.
Cynara Velazquez, President of the Blue Dream Democratic Club, a Democratic Club dedicated to cannabis advocacy and access, gave a presentation for the PRO side of why cannabis dispensaries should be allowed in our community of Rancho Bernardo. (Note: The CON side of this topic will be presented at our next meeting in October).
August 23, 2021
Our president Hugh Rothman gave details on the status of the Gavin Newsom Recall, including state party recommendations regarding your vote and why, and how you can help.
Tommy Hough, a San Diego media personality, environmental activist, and a candidate for San Diego City Council District 6, gave a presentation, The Right-Wing Media, How did we get to where it is today, to the club in which he detailed the rise of Right-Wing Media starting from the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine and later the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and following those changes, a legacy of seemingly minor decisions and legislative policies which enabled the bubble of right-wing media to grow. Tommy explained that adherence to accuracy has never been required and that the hateful tone of conversation has long been vitriolic and racist, and finally, that the goal has never been to educate or enlighten – but to indoctrinate, for political and commercial purposes.
July 26, 2021
We had a Welcome Back Party… live! Around 60-70 people attended. Our Assemblyman (representing AD 77) Brian Maienschein gave us a presentation on what is going on at the state level and bills he has been working on. The tacos, by Taquizas Jose were delicious. We had *way* too many desserts! (Is that ever a bad thing?). We even had a sing-along and a Jeopardy game!
A big THANK YOU to all of you who brought a dessert, and to all the volunteers who helped set up and decorate the room, organize the food, greet members, and clean up. Special thanks to Sunny Escovedo who was the force behind all of this, and to Steve Natoli, who conceived of, and ran an exceptional Jeopardy game!
June 28, 2021
Marni Von Wilpert, the San Diego City Councilmember for District 5 (representing Rancho Bernardo) gave a very detailed presentation on all the issues and happenings in our community. She answered every question thrown at her from all members. We are so lucky to have such a smart and distinguished individual represent us at the city.
May 24, 2021
Dave Myers, a retired Commander in the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, and a former candidate for San Diego County Sheriff, reported on the situation of excessive deaths in San Diego County jails.
Marcia and Lee Finney, Secretary and President of the Black Mountain Democratic Club respectively, gave a presentation on the situation with the unaccompanied migrant children being housed at the San Diego Convention Center, what they need, and what we can do to help them.
April 26, 2021
Veronica Zerrer, president of Neutral Corner (neutralcornersd.org), gave a presentation to the club regarding Transgender issues and the many challenges that the Transgender community faces.
Jason Bercovitch, from Congressman Scott Peters’ office, and a former Executive Board member of our club, gave the club a detailed presentation on what exactly is in the COVID-19 Relief Package that was recently approved by the federal government.
March 22, 2021
Dr. Joel Day, gave a presentation to the club on violent extremism in our country, and right here in San Diego. His presentation also included steps that should be taken right now to mitigate and/or prevent it from happening here and nationwide.
Club Elections for Vice President and Treasurer were held. Our current vice president Steve Natoli was reelected for another term. Becky Burrola was elected to be our new Treasurer. Congratulations and thank you to both Steve and Becky for your service to our club and members.
February 22, 2021
Dr. Carl Luna, Professor of Political Science–San Diego Mesa College, gave a presentation titled Towards a New American Covenant, America Post-2020. Dr. Luna described the situation and challenges facing us today, but also went through our history, particular focusing on the previous American Covenants that were formed and how they each evolved into different and improved versions, and how we can, hopefully, continue that going forward… if we get the chance.
Our president, Hugh Rothman, presented the available civic volunteer opportunities afforded to us here in Rancho Bernardo, particularly the Rancho Bernardo Community Council, Rancho Bernardo Planning Board, and the Rancho Bernardo Recreational Advisory Board. Mr. Rothman described the purposes of each organization, what their subcommittees focus on, and how to join and get involved.
January 25, 2021
Lucero Sanchez from San Diego CoastKeeper gave a presentation about issues and challenges regarding the availability and cleanliness of water in our community.
Executive Board Member Harvey Levine led a discussion on local issues in our community and where we can go from here. Issues discussed were: Transportation (SANDAG’s plans), Housing, and challenges regarding our local Democratic candidates and officials now that more and more Democrats are running.
Our treasurer, Jana Johnson, led a Covid-19 “Fun” discussion, going over ideas and activities that might help you get through this. Good books, movies, TV shows, online classes? Lots of good suggestions!
November 23, 2020
So, how did that election thing go?
Well, it looks our Democracy survived… just barely.
Anyway, our Vice-President Steve Natoli gave a detailed presentation on what happened in the Presidential race (yay!) and in the US House of Representatives (Not nearly as good, we lost seats and we were expecting to win some).
Our Treasurer, Jana Johnson, gave a presentation on the Senate results. We picked up one seat (so far), but the Georgia Senate seats are still up for grabs. (note: we won both!).
Our President, Hugh Rothman, gave a presentation on the results in the local races (mostly great news, but with some frustrating results mixed in).
Hugh Rothman, with the help of Sunny Escovedo and Jason Bercovitch, also gave a presentation on the upcoming ADEMs, how to become an Assembly District Delegate to the CA State Convention, and what it means.
| Candidate | Office Being Sought | Date of Endorsement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Gloria | San Diego Mayor | June 22, 2020 | Won |
| Marni Von Wilpert | San Diego City Council, District 5 | June 24, 2019 | Won |
| Mara Elliot | San Diego City Attorney * | June 24, 2019 | Won |
| Scott Peters | US Representative CD-52 * | July 22, 2019 | Won |
| Terra Lawson-Remer | SD County Board of Suprvisrs, Dist 3 | April 27, 2020 | Won |
| Toni Atkins | CA Senate, District 39 * | Sep 23, 2019 | Won |
| Kate Schwartz | CA Assembly, District 75 | Jul 27, 2020 | Lost |
| Brian Maienschein | CA Assembly, District 77 * | Sep 23, 2019 | Won |
| Tim Nader | Superior Court Judge, Office 30 | Feb 03, 2020 | Won |
| Dara Czerwonka | Escondido City Council District 3 (Q) | June 22, 2020 | Lost |
| Don Greene | Escondido City Council District 3 (Q) | June 22, 2020 | Lost |
| Darshana Patel | Poway Unified School Board, District A * | July 27, 2020 | Won |
| Jimmy Karam | Poway Unified School Board, District E | July 27, 2020 | Lost |
| Nina Deerfield | Palomar College School Board, D2 | July 27, 2020 | Lost |
| Roberto Rodriguez | Palomar College School Board, D3 | July 27, 2020 | Won |
| Lee Dulgeroff | Palomar College School Board, D4 | July 27, 2020 | Lost |
| Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson | Vallecitos Water Board, D5 | July 27, 2020 | Won |
*: Incumbent,
Q: Rated as qualified for this race
Note: The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club endorsements are endorsements from the club only, and do not represent official endorsements or positions of the San Diego County Democratic Party, the California Democratic Party, or the Democratic National Committee.
October 26, 2020
Our Vice-President, Steve Natoli, gave a detailed presentation on the state of the Presidential election, including how things look in the battleground states, and all the possible scenarios of what could happen on Election Day.
Our Treasurer, Jana Johnson, also gave a detailed presentation of all the US Senate races and what our chances look like in retaking the Senate this election.
September 28, 2020
Our Secretary, Sunny Escovedo, who also serves as the North Inland GO Team Regional Coordinator, presented information about the San Diego County Democratic Party Grassroots Organizing (GO) Team plans for this election
A member of our Executive Board, ballot guru Jason Bercovitch presented a detailed presentation of all state propositions and city/county measures on the ballot this election.
Another local club, The Democrats of 92127, joined us for this meeting (We figured that since both clubs meet on the same day and time, and both clubs were planning something regarding information on the propositions and measures on the ballot this election, that it made sense for us to combine our meetings!)
August 24, 2020
This meeting was all about voting! We had two presentations:
– Ranked Choice Voting: Amy Tobia and Ed Chaplin from The Democrats for Ranked Choice Voting spoke about what ranked choice voting is, how it could work in San Diego, and why we as Democrats should support it.
– Voting in the Time of COVID-19: Rosie Rascon from the San Diego Registrar of Voters. presented a detailed informational presentation all about voting in San Diego this election, how things have changed, and why. The Registrar of Voters himself, Michael Vu was also on hand to add more detail and help answer questions.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this meeting occurred via Zoom.
July 27, 2020
Jana Johnson, our treasurer spoke about the Poway Unified School District’s possible plans regarding the Poway For The Performing Arts Center.
Darshana Patel, PUSD Board Member, also spoke to this issue, and also about the PUSD plans for the upcoming school year, including possibilities on how schools will open and teach students.
The club endorsed the following candidates/races:
– California State Assembly, District 75 – Kate Schwartz
– Poway Schools, District A – Darshana Patel (FIE)
– Poway Schools, District E – Jimmy Karam
– Palomar College Board, District 2 – Nina Deerfield
– Palomar College Board, District 4 – Lee Dulgeroff
– Vallecitos Water Board, District 5 – Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson
– Special Guest! Alyse Galvin, Candidate for US Congress, Alaska, spoke to the club about Alaska issues and her candidacy.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this meeting occurred via Zoom.
June 22, 2020
Doug Case, Director of Political Affairs for State Senator Pro-Tem Toni Atkins, and also the past chair and member of the Community Review Board on Police Practices, gave a presentation to the club about police practices and reforms being discussed in our community.
The club went through an endorsement process for the San Diego City Mayor’s race between Barbara Bry and Todd Gloria and voted to endorse Todd Gloria for this race.
The club went through an endorsement process for the Escondido City Council District 3 race between Dara Czerwonka and Don Greene and voted to endorse neither candidate, but to rate both candidates as Qualified.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this meeting occurred via Zoom.
The following candidates spoke/introduced themselves to the club:
Marni Von Wilpert for San Diego City Council District 5
Darshana Patel for Poway Unified School Board District A
Jimmy Karam for Poway Unified School Board District E
Nina Deerfield for Palomar College Board District 2
Rob Howard for Oceanside Mayor
Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson for Vallecitos Water Board Division 5
May 25, 2020
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic club was extremely pleased to welcome Tommy Hough, a former radio personality, the founder of the San Diego County Democratic Club for Environmental Action, and a former San Diego City Council D6 candidate. Tommy spoke on the impacts of sand mining in our community as well as other environment issues.
We had numerous candidates speak. The election is heating up!
April 27, 2020
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our March 2020 meeting was cancelled and this meeting occurred via Zoom.
Terra Lawson-Remer was one of the top two finishers for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 3 race. She is therefore, now the officially endorsed San Diego County Democratic Party candidate for this race. Ms. Lawson-Remer spoke to our club about the importance of this race and her plans (and challenges) for her campaign for the November general election. The club then voted unanimously to endorse Terra Lawson-Remer for this race.
Club officer elections: Hugh Rothman was voted in as president. Sunny Escovedo was voted to remain as secretary. Incoming president Hugh Rothman sent the following message to the club:
Hello Members and Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club,
Thank you for choosing me to be the President of the Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club. I am honored, and very excited for our future. Democrats have never had as much of a presence in our community as they do today, and with your help, I’m hopeful our community will trend towards Democrats more than ever before.
Think back just 10 years ago. We had a Republican representing us in Congress, a Republican representing us in the State Senate, a Republican representing us in the Assembly, the mayor of San Diego was a Republican, Carl DeMaio was our City Council representative, and the Republicans had a massive voter registration advantage in our community.
Today, Scott Peters, a Democrat, is our Congressman, Toni Atkins and Brian Maienschein, both Democrats, represent us at the State level, and we are guaranteed to have a Democrat be the mayor of San Diego starting in 2021. For City Council, Marni Von Wilpert received the most votes in the primary with 40% of the total vote, and the two Democratic candidates received 57% of the vote. Democrats now have a 3% voter registration lead in her district. There is an excellent chance that Marni may be the first Democrat to represent us in City Council since… ever!
There are lots more races to get excited about as well, particularly the County Board of Supervisors, District 3 race (of which Rancho Bernardo is a part of), which will determine whether Democrats have a majority on that board for the first time… ever. That would be a *huge* change in our county. This is arguably the most important race in the entire county! There will also be other races affecting our community: Palomar Community College Board, Palomar Health Board, and PUSD School Board. We want Democrats to represent us in ALL of these races!
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club could, and should, be a big part of all this excitement! However, challenges await. As you know, with the current COVID-19 situation, all campaigns will find it difficult to raise money and communicate their message to voters directly. I look forward to our club doing all we can to help these campaigns directly, as well as furthering Democratic causes and values within our community. If we can turn Rancho Bernardo (RANCHO BERNARDO!) blue, it is truly over for the Republican party in San Diego county. I look forward to working with you all in doing that!
I want to thank our past president Keith Mikas who led our club for 3 years of unprecedented growth and got us to where we are today, which is that we are one of the largest and most important Democratic clubs in the county! Again, I look forward to working with you all to continue our success.
If you have any questions or suggestions about anything, please feel free to contact me at rbdemsclub@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Hugh Rothman
President of the Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club
Hugh Rothman also gave a detailed presentation of the March 2020 primary results for the city, county, state, and federal races affecting our community.
February 24, 2020
Alana Wong Robinson was endorsed by our club for the Superior Court, Office 22 race. Marian Kim Phelps, the Superintendent of the Poway Unified School District, gave the club a detailed presentation on Proposition P, the $448 million dollar school facilities bond measure for PUSD. And finally, Jason Bercovitch provided a detailed presentation on all of the propositions and ballot measures on the March 3rd ballot, including what a Yes and a No vote means, and what individuals and entities are supporting/opposing each of them.
We had 70+ people in attendance. Lots of excitement before our March 3rd primary, just 8 days away!
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Final Results of RB Dem Club 2020 Presidential Straw Poll
| Candidate | Highest Office Held | Apr 2019 | May 2019 | June 2019 | July 2019 | Aug 2019 | Sep 2019 | Oct 2019 | Nov 2019 | Feb 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Biden | Vice President | 6 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 |
| Michael Bloomberg | Mayor, NYC | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2 | 6 |
| Pete Buttigieg | Mayor, South Bend IN | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Tulsi Gabbard | Rep, HI2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amy Klobuchar | Senator, MN | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| Bernie Sanders | Senator, VT | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Tom Steyer | Business Executive | NA | NA | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Elizabeth Warren | Senator, MA | 4 | 9 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 21 | 5 | 11 | 14 |
| Total Votes | 39 | 44 | 37 | 37 | 41 | 37 | 24 | 29 | 48 |
| Candidate | Highest Office Held | Apr 2019 | May 2019 | June 2019 | July 2019 | Aug 2019 | Sep 2019 | Oct 2019 | Nov 2019 | Feb 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator, CO | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | OUT (Feb) | |
| Senator, NJ | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Jan) | |
| Governor, MT | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Dec) | |
| Mayor, San Antonio TX | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Jan) | |
| Mayor, New York NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Rep, MD6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Feb) | |
| Senator, NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Senator, AK | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Senator, CA | 7 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | OUT (Dec) | |
| Governor, CO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Governor, WA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Mayor, Miramar FL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | |
| Rep, MA6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Rep, TX6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Governor, MA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0 | OUT (Feb) | |
| Rep, OH13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Rep, PA07 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Dec) | |
| Rep, CA15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| Author | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | OUT (Jan) | |
| Tech Executive | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | OUT (Feb) |
February 3, 2020 (Welcome Back Party!)
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club hosted a Welcome Back party, firing us up for the upcoming election year. Multiple candidates spoke, including five judicial candidates, our endorsed City Council District 5 candidate, and five candidates for the County Democratic Party Central Committee for AD 77. We endorsed three of the judicial candidates by acclamation since they are running unopposed by any other Democrat in their races.
Delicious food was on hand, including multiple pies and cupcakes for dessert. And finally, Terry Norwood led us in a rousing game of “Name That Candidate (Or Past President)”. Ten clues were available and each team had to decide how many clues to be given (the fewer clues, the more points). Lots of fun, and we also learned some interesting facts about our candidates (and past presidents)!
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November 25, 2019
Judy Ki gave the club a presentation on the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee; what it is, what they do, and why it is important. Hugh Rothman, who is currently a member of the Central Committee, also added some thoughts on what it is like to a be a member of the committee.
Jana Johnson give the club a presentation on the upcoming 2020 senate races occurring throughout the nation, including which ones will be key for Democrats flipping the Senate in 2020.
And finally, Jason Bercovitch and Terry Norwood led us in a rousing game of “Who Said It”, which included quotes from presidential candidates still running. Congratulations Team Apple-Crumb for knowing the most obscure quotes from our candidates!
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October 28, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club welcomed Carol Kim, who gave a presentation to the club for the plan on raising the hotel ToT in order to pay for a convention center expansion, providing a dedicated source of funds for services and housing for those experiencing homelessness, and also providing money to fix roads. This plan will be on the ballot in the March 2020 primary.
Nic Zinter, from the San Diego County Democratic Party, gave a presentation on the GO Team.
And finally, Hugh Rothman provided an informative presentation on the concept of Universal Basic Income, including its history, benefits, and challenges.
September 23, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club decided to bestow friendly incumbent endorsements to Toni Atkins, our current CA State Senator from District 39, and Brian Maienschein, our current CA Assemblyman from District 77.
Additionally, we had a formal debate on whether the Electoral College should continue to exist, or be abolished. Two of our board members, Jason Bercovitch (keep) and Steve Natoli (abolish) were the debaters. After the debate, an informal vote was taken with only one person agreeing to keep the Electoral College, while the rest of the club voted to abolish it. However, many commented that hearing the detailed arguments for both sides allowed for a far more informed decision.
August 26, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club held an endorsement meeting for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors race. Only two candidates participated, Olga Diaz and Terra Lawson-Remer. The club decided not to endorse either candidate for this race, but did decide to rate both candidates as “qualified”.
July 22, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club held an endorsement meeting for the San Diego Mayor race. Only two candidates participated, Todd Gloria (represented by his campaign manager Nick Serrano), and Barbara Bry. The club decided not to endorse either candidate for this race, but did decide to rate both candidates as “qualified”. The club additionally decided to bestow a friendly incumbent endorsement for Scott Peters, our current CD 52 representative.
June 24, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club held an endorsement meeting for the San Diego City Council, District 5 race and decided to endorse Marni Von Wilpert. The club additionally decided to bestow a friendly incumbent endorsement onto Mara Elliot, our current San Diego City Attorney.
May 27, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club welcomed Dr. Joel Day as our featured speaker. Dr. Day spoke in particular about how to solve the problem of vulnerable individuals becoming radicalized from online sources, using the tragic incident at the local temple in Poway as an example of how this can happen and what can be done to prevent further tragedies of this nature.
April 25th, 2019
The Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club hosted our very own Vice President Steve Natoli as our featured speaker. Steve gave a presentation that was the basis of his book Liberally Speaking: Why Liberalism is Right for America.
March 25th, 2019
The club welcomed Fire Captain Jeff Griffith who spoke about fire safety in our community.
Elections were held for club President and Secretary, with Keith Mikas and Sunny Escovedo winning reelection to those offices respectively.
February 25th, 2019
Mara Elliot, the San Diego City Attorney spoke to the club and gave details about what is happening in her office.
January 29th, 2019/party
Happy New Year! We kicked off 2019 with a “Welcome Back” party. We enjoyed an evening of delicious food and fun (Jeopardy style). The club soon learned never to get into a political game with Doug Case! It was a huge success. We had many new members and returning members who attended. The club would also like to thank all the people who put effort into organizing and carrying out the party.
November 26th, 2018
Hugh Rothman presented a detailed review of the election results (national, state, and local). Club members also participated in a discussion session which included general thoughts on the election, and plans and goals for the next 2 years.
October 23rd, 2018
On Oct. 23rd, the club did postcard labeling and phone banking in support of our local candidates Kevin Juza, Terry Norwood, and Sunday Gover.
The RB Dem Club Endorsements for November 2018 Election
| US Congress, CA 49 | Mike Levin |
| US Congress, CA 52 | Scott Peters |
| CA Senate, SD 38 | Jeff Griffith |
| CA Assembly, AD 75 | Alan Geraci |
| CA Assembly, AD 77 | Sunday Gover |
| SD City Council District 6 | Tommy Hough |
| SD County Superior Court, District 37 | Matt Brower |
| Mayor of Carlsbad | Cori Schumacher |
| Poway Unified School Board, District B | Kevin Juza |
| Poway Unified School Board, District C | Terry Norwood |
| Palomar Community College Board | Mark Evilsizer |
| Palomar Community College Board | Lee Dulgeroff |
| Palomar Board of Health | Dale Bardin |
| Palomar Board of Health | Hans Christian Sison |
| Palomar Board of Health | Vanessa Gutierrez |
| San Diego City Measure E (Soccer City) | NO |
| San Diego City Measure G (SDSU West) | YES |
September 24th, 2018
On Sept 24th, the club voted to endorse Kevin Juza, Terry Norwood, Mike Levin, Mark Evilsizer, Lee Dulgeroff, Dale Bardin, Hans Christian Sisson, Vanessa Gutierrez, No on Measure E, and Yes on Measure G.
August 27th, 2018
The club welcomed Casey Nguyen, Director of Housing Services, from Interfaith Community Services who gave a presentation about the homeless crisis in our county, what measures that Interfaith and others are doing about it, and what more could and should be done.
The club also welcomed Kim KilKenny and Gina Jacobs, from the Yes on SDSU West initiative (Measure G on the ballot), who gave us a very detailed presentation on the plan, and why it would be best for San Diego, and *not* the Soccer City initiative (Measure E on the ballot).
The club unanimously endorsed Cori Schumacher for Mayor of Carlsbad.
The following candidates spoke:
– Kevin Juza, PUSD School Board, District B
– Terry Norwood, PUSD School Board, District C
– Matt Brower, Superior Court Judge, Office No. 37
John Hartley gave a short preview of “Clean Elections Public Funding for Elections”.
Jody Tadder provided a handout of a list of values, called “What The Democratic Party Believes In”, handy for those Thanksgiving Day family political discussions. Jason Bercovitch updated the club on the state of the CD-50 race, in that the Democratic, Ammar Campa-Najjar is only 9 percentage points down, and this poll was taken mostly before the Duncan Hunter indictment. Hope is blossoming in CD-50!
July 23rd, 2018
The club heard a presentation from Dr. Joel Day representing the Truman National Security Project. The presentation was titled: “The Democratic Party and National Security: Resisting, Reframing, Rebuilding.”
Also, Joe LaCava gave a presentation on the Soccer City initiative, and why he recommends a vote against it. This initiative will appear on the November ballot.
Fourth of July (2018) in Rancho Bernardo
Our club had a big presence in Rancho Bernardo on the 4th of July. We had a booth in the Community Fair from 9am to 2pm, and then marched in the parade at 3:30pm.
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/nie_wiiw_jpeg.jpg | Our booth at the community fair #1 |
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ugzt39qw_jpeg.jpg | Our booth at the community fair #2 |
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/4lcdtpbg_jpeg.jpg | Marching with Sunday Gover |
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/fnotbqow_jpeg.jpg | Our marchers marching in the parade |
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/b7kulg0q_jpeg.jpg | Our marchers turning the corner near the end of the parade |
| https://rbdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/qna1wwmq_jpeg.jpg | Our marchers with Scott Peters |
June 25th, 2018
The club heard a presentation from Veterans For Peace. The club also voted to approve bylaws changes regarding club endorsements. And finally, Hugh Rothman updated the club on the state of things after the June 5th primary election.
May 28th, 2018
Yes, we really met on Memorial Day, because we had a special event! The club was proud and excited to welcome Congressman Scott Peters, who represents California Congressional District 52 (which includes the Rancho Bernardo community). The congressman informed the club of happenings in Washington D.C. and answered questions.
Additionally, Jason Bercovitch went over the details of all those arcane ballot measures that are difficult to understand. No one explains obscure legislation better than Jason!
April 23rd, 2018
The club considered an endorsement in the San Diego City Council District 6 race, and decided to endorse candidate Tommy Hough.
The club also decided to endorse Matt Brower, running for Superior Court Judge, and Alan Geraci, running for California Assembly District 75.
March 26th, 2018
The meeting consisted of the following events, presentations, and endorsements:
1. Election of club Vice President and Treasurer: Steve Nattoli was elected as our new Vice President. Jana Johnson was elected as our Treasurer.
2. Endorsement for the California Senate District 38 race (Jeff Griffith): Jeff Griffith was unanimously endorsed by the club.
3. Grassroots Organizing presentation from Hugh Rothman, Grassroots Organizing Director of the San Diego County Democratic Party.
February 26th, 2018
The club went through an endorsement process for the CD 49 race. Three of the five candidates were represented, Paul Kerr, Sara Jacobs, and a representative for Mike Levin. The club ultimately voted to endorse Sara Jacobs for the CD 49 seat.
The club also heard from Genevieve Jones-Wright, candidate for San Diego County District Attorney, and also from Farouk Al-Nasr who gave a report of the California Democratic Convention, held right here in San Diego.
January 20, 2018
The club hosted a Welcome Back Social, a wonderful event replete with excellent food, socialization, and an opportunity to meet face to face with candidates.
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Candidates attending (and speaking at) our event were: Sara Jacobs, Paul Kerr, and Mike Levin for the CD 49 congressional race, Alan Geracci for the California AD 75 Assembly race, and Tommy Hough for the San Diego City Council District 6 race.
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There was also an opportunity for a photo op with a very famous person!
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November 27, 2017
The club welcomed the following speakers: Esther Sanchez, candidate for County Board of Supervisors District 5, Ken Malbraugh, candidate for County Board of Supervisors District 4, Bryan Pease, candidate for San Diego City Council District 2, and Dr. Jennifer Campbell, candidate for San Diego City Council District 2.
October 23, 2017
The club went through the endorsement process regarding endorsing Sunday Gover for the 77th Assembly District race and the endorsement was approved.
Omar Passons, a candidate for the County Board of Supervisors District 4 race also spoke to our club.
Additionally, a recap of the San Diego County Democratic Party Convention was presented to the club.
September 25, 2017
Toni Atkins, CA State Senator of the 39th District (representing Rancho Bernardo) spoke on the many bills that the legislature sent to the governor’s desk and the club enjoyed a spirited Q&A regarding those bills, and other stories regarding Ms. Atkins’ career.
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August 28, 2017
Robin Kaufman, President of the Rancho Bernardo Community Council, Rancho Bernardo Planning Board, and Rancho Bernardo Rec Council, as well as a member (and chair) of numerous other boards and committees, spoke on volunteer opportunities in Rancho Bernardo, and also answered questions on various projects and issues affecting the Rancho Bernardo community. Also, an updated version of our bylaws was reviewed and approved.
July 24, 2017
Mike Levin, candidate for the California 49th Congressional District (as well as an environmental lawyer and former Executive Director for the Orange County Democratic Party), spoke about his campaign.
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June 26, 2017
Nathan Fletcher, UCSD Professor and former state assemblyman, spoke on the history of voting rights in this country and the current war on voting rights today.
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Farouk Al-Nasr, PHD, spoke on the history, politics, and religion of the Middle East.
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May 22, 2017
Matt Strabone, candidate for the County Recorder/Clerk/Assessor spoke about his candidacy and why the office is so important and particularly, why the current incumbent officeholder has been a disaster. He also answered questions about himself and the office he is seeking. Nate Fairman was ill, so in his place, James Alvernaz spoke about the history of unions in this country, what the Trump administration is trying to do to undermine unions throughout the nation, and why it is so awful.
April 24, 2017
Spring is in the air, so our meeting had a theme this month: Spring Into Action! A panel consisting of Jessica Hayes, the San Diego County Democratic Party Chair, Tommy Hough, President, San Diego EnviroDems Club, and Jennifer Sosa, Regional Director, California Young Democrats, led a spirited discussion on exactly what and how we can all take action for implementing our progressive values.
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March 27, 2017
Stacie Spector, the San Diego City Senior Advisor for Housing Solutions, spoke about how the city and surrounding region is trying to resolve the issue of so many homeless individuals in San Diego. The key issue is getting the homeless population “into the system” as much and as soon as possible to get them evaluated for whatever their needs are, and each individual has very different needs.
Charles Lara, a captain of the San Diego Police Department, also spoke about how the police is dealing with the homeless population, especially with regards to the Rancho Bernardo community and surrounding area.
Dave Myers, a candidate for the County Sheriff office, spoke about his qualifications, his vision, and his campaign. Please go to http://www.davemyersforsheriff.com for further information about Dave Myers.
February 27, 2017
Despite heavy rain, Doug Applegate, candidate for congress in the 49th Congressional District, spoke to a full house on his experiences with his 2016 run for congress and how he plans to be victorious in 2018.
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January 23, 2017
Jess Durfee, former Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, and current DNC member, gave a presentation on the structure of the DNC and the issues and decisions it is facing, including the election of the next DNC Chair. Club elections were held for the four officer positions. The officers elected for the 2017 year are as follows: Keith Mikas, President; Hugh Rothman, Vice President; Anna Lustig, Treasurer; Sunny Escovedo, Secretary.
December 5, 2016
Club members gathered for a holiday party and heard recommendations by the Nominating Committee for officers and directors for 2017.
November 28, 2016
Prof. Carl Luna, who has a long record of forecasting political events, summarized the dynamics of the 2016 election and explained the forces that are expected to forge the future of our nation. Dr. Luna is a lecturer on American government, comparative politics, and international political economy at USD and a professor of political science at Mesa College.
October 24, 2016
The trends in immigration from Mexico and the benefits of immigration to the U.S. economy was the subject of a talk by Dr. Everard Meade, Director of the Trans-Boarder Institute at the University of San Diego.
September 26, 2016
The club watched the First Presidential Debate and agreed unanimously that Hillary Clinton won.
Melinda Vasquez, a candidate for the 77th Assembly District gave an update on issues of the campaign.
The club endorsed Mara Elliott, candidate for San Diego City Attorney; Darshana Patel, candidate for the Poway Unified School Board; and Melinda Vasquez, candidate for the 77th Assembly District.
August 22, 2016
Professor Dipak K. Gupta, a consultant to the United Nations on terrorism, addressed the subject, “Can ISIS be Defeated.” He is a Distinguished Professor and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Political Science at San Diego State University.
June 27, 2016
In a talk titled “Putin the Terrible”, Dave Edick, who served as President of the San Diego World Affairs Council, explained the aggressive activities of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the implications for the U.S. and its allies.
May 23, 2016
Our club sponsored a fundraiser for Supervisor Dave Roberts and raised nearly $2,500 for his reelection.
The former World-Wide Training Director of IBM, Jack Bowsher, was our keynote speaker. He explained how to refute Republican arguments on political issues. His latest book, Educating Voters for Rebuilding America, was endorsed by Paul Volcker, the iconic Chairman of the Federal Reserve under Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter
April 25, 2016
County Supervisor Dave Roberts spoke on the myriad services provided by the county including its public health operations and became the 80th member of our club.
Marty Judge was elected President of the club.
March 28, 2016
Chief Deputy City Attorney Mara Elliott spoke on the legal issues facing San Diego including pension reform, a stadium for the Chargers, an expanded convention center, and the city’s infrastructure.
Club President Dale Bardin announced he would be stepping down to run for public office
February 29, 2016
Nathan Fletcher spoke on what is being done to help veterans, where the government is falling short, and what can be done to help.
The Committee to elect Barbara Bry was formed, chaired by Board Member Kathy Muckley.
January 23, 2016
The first meeting of the Rancho Bernardo Democratic Club was held. Congressman Scott Peters gave the keynote address. San Diego County Democratic Party Chairwoman Francine Busby provided an overview of party goals and structure. County Supervisor Dave Roberts welcomed our 63 members and guests.
