Last summer, Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla looked like a rising star in local GLBT politics. He took the stage at San Diego’s Pride rally and publicly announced for the first time that he is gay. It was a bold move to make in the year before the mayoral election, but it was met with appreciative applause from those in attendance at the rally.

Now, two months before Chula Vista residents take to the polls to decide who will lead the city for the next four years, Padilla’s star may have dimmed a bit. For the last several months, Padilla has been facing a series of attacks on his ethics and political choices.

In January, he was criticized for spending city money on a personal bodyguard. Since October, the bodyguard had been a constant sight at Padilla’s side at public functions. The Chula Vista City Council voted unanimously in September to hire the bodyguard after Padilla said he had received dozens of threatening letters during his term as mayor, including some threats that were homophobic in nature.

Despite the council’s early support for hiring the bodyguard, it was members of the council who were most vocal in denouncing the $10,000-per-month expenditure for the bodyguard service. Councilmember John McCann complained during a council meeting that the funds allocated to pay the bodyguard could be better spent on civic improvements and services. The following week, Padilla announced that he would no longer use the bodyguard.

“I think it’s important to remember that the decision to hire the bodyguard was strongly recommended by the city manager and the police department,” Padilla told the Gay & Lesbian Times. “The City Council all voted for it, and they were all kept in the loop on this matter.”

Even though the bodyguard has been released from his contract, a security detail from the police department’s Special Investigations Unit will continue to travel with Padilla. It is protection that Padilla feels is necessary given that Chula Vista has grown into a large city and the mayoral office is now a high-profile position.

Last month, Padilla admitted that he had accepted a car allowance for four months even though the city had provided a new SUV for his former bodyguard to chauffeur Padilla to official events. All members of the City Council receive monthly stipends to cover wear and tear on their personal vehicles used for official business. The mayor was the only member of the council to receive a chauffeured vehicle. Padilla later reimbursed the city $3,500.

“Looking back on that incident, there are definitely some things I should have done differently,” Padilla said. “But I own up to it, and I think that’s the responsibility of any leader.”

Padilla has faced charges of cronyism over the appointment of Patricia Chavez to fill the council seat vacated by an ailing Patty Davis in December. The final interview process for the position pitted political novice Chavez against Russ Hall and Don Hom, two experienced candidates who had previously served on multiple city commissions. After losing the job to Chavez, Hall labeled the appointment “very suspicious” and said Chavez “has no credentials to be in this position,” according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

In February, Chavez’s appointment became the subject of a complaint to the city’s board of ethics. Community activist Peter Watry filed the grievance that stated Padilla “dictated, and the council agreed, in secret to interview only candidates picked by two or more council members.”

The mayor has also taken criticism for his part in a failed condominium project that has become a major source of contention in Chula Vista. The Españada development would have placed two high-rise luxury living spaces in downtown Chula Vista. Padilla supported the project initially, but there was a great deal of public outcry against the 15-story buildings. During a closed-door meeting with Españada developer Jim Pieri, Padilla reversed his position and gave Pieri a statement to sign stating the site would not be developed.

The backroom nature of this deal and its ultimate collapse has met with skepticism from political opponents who see the failed project as a major blow to Chula Vista development. Cheryl Cox, a trustee for the Chula Vista Elementary School District who has announced she will run for the mayor’s seat, said Padilla “has made it very precarious for the next developer looking to come to Chula Vista.”

Cox is not the only one of Padilla’s critics running for office in June. Councilmember Steve Castaneda, who claims to have brought the car allowance incident to light at a closed-door council meeting on Jan.17, has also entered the race to unseat Padilla. Councilmember McCann, who first complained about Padilla’s bodyguard, is also up for re-election this year.

Despite the recent adversity he has faced, Padilla remains upbeat about his re-election bid. “The people of Chula Vista know what this election is about,” he said. “It’s about promises made and promises kept. The city is much better off now than it was three years ago.”

Padilla said his coming out last year has not played a role in his run for re-election. “My colleagues have not treated me any differently since I came out,” he noted. “I have great faith in my community to know what is and what is not important in this election.”

He does feel his sexuality is important in one regard, though. “It’s great to be a role model for gay youth because I didn’t have any growing up,” Padilla said. “I’m proud of where I’m at and what I’ve achieved.”

The election to select the mayor of Chula Vista will take place on June 6. Padilla will vie for re-election against Steve Castaneda, Cheryl Cox and local business person Ricardo Macias.