Outgoing San Diego City Councilmember Toni Atkins announced her endorsement of Todd Gloria Sept. 24 in the City Council race to succeed her as the representative for District 3. Former State Senator Dede Alpert joined Councilmember Atkins in supporting Gloria.

“As you might imagine, I’ve watched the race to replace me closely for the last two years,” said Atkins, will vacate the seat on Dec. 1 when she terms out. “I’ve withheld my opinion in an effort to listen closely to the candidates and to give thoughtful consideration. At this time, I believe Todd Gloria is the best choice to continue the community improvements I have worked on: safer streets, better community services and a City Council that listens to and cares about the people who elect us.”

State Senator Alpert’s long working relationship with Gloria helped lead to her decision to publicly endorse him.

“In the many years that I’ve known Todd as a staffer and community member, I have been impressed by his hard work,” said Alpert, who represented the San Diego region in the California State Legislature from 1991 to 2004, serving three terms in the Assembly and two in the Senate. “I think at this critical time in the city, we need leaders who are thoughtful, reliable and can bring people together to help move the city forward. I know Todd can do that.”

Gloria, who got 41 percent of the vote in June’s primary, has been an aide to Rep. Susan Davis since 2001. He represents Davis in the Mid City communities of City Heights, Hillcrest, Kensington, Normal Heights, North Park, Talmadge, and University Heights.

He said to have two strong leaders come forward at this important juncture in the campaign was important to him.

“Councilmember Atkins and Senator Alpert have dedicated their careers and their lives to public service, and San Diego is a stronger city because of their work,” Gloria said. “Even those who may not agree with every policy position the two have taken appreciate the genuine concern and commitment each has shown through their efforts. I look forward to honoring the communities of District 3 with the same work ethic, dedication and representation.”

But according to a report on SignOnSanDiego.com, Atkins’ endorsement came as no surprise. “There’s been a Gloria sign outside of the South Park home where Atkins lives with her spouse, Jennifer LeSar, for a while,” the site reported on Sept. 25. “Atkins has said in the past that it’s LeSar’s house – and LeSar’s sign.”

Gloria said he aims to win the open City Council seat in the General Election on Nov. 4 by continuing to spread his message of strengthening public safety and improving infrastructure.

Gloria also has the endorsement of local police and firefighters.

Meanwhile, a coalition of neighborhood leaders, the Neighborhood Leaders Alliance (NLA), unanimously voted to endorse Gloria’s opponent Stephen Whitburn for the District 3 seat.

“Stephen gets it,” said Brian Peterson, a Grantville area veterinarian and president of the Grantville Action Group, who noted Whitburn understands residents in older communities are “under siege.”

Grantville is a blue-collar neighborhood near the interchange of interstates 8 and 15, and borders the communities of Allied Gardens, San Carlos, Serra Mesa and Mission Valley East.

“The developers and local government want to redevelop us to fit their vision, not ours. He knows that the backroom deals that drive this process have to stop. That’s why the NLA and I support him,” Peterson said.

The recently-formed NLA was founded by community activists concerned with the process of redevelopment in Council Districts 2, 3 and 7. It includes leaders from Grantville, to City Heights, Normal Heights, Hillcrest, Mission Hills and Point Loma, to La Jolla.

Whitburn, who got 29 percent of the vote in the June primary, is running on a platform of “building stronger neighborhoods.” He said the top priority of city government should be improving the quality of life of the people in local neighborhoods.

Whitburn’s experience spans back more than 25 years as a journalist with several years of government reporting. He is currently a community educator for the American Red Cross and elected member of the North Park Planning Committee.

Whitburn has the endorsement of District 5 Councilmember Donna Frye and picked up the endorsements of former District 3 candidates John Hartley and Paul Broadway after the June primary.

While both Gloria and Whitburn are Democrats, Whitburn is the only candidate to be endorsed by the Democratic Party.