The election for District 2 seat on the Encinitas City Council is an open race with no incumbent, so voters have a distinct and consequential choice.
The candidates are Jim O’Hara (No Party Preference), age 50, and the 34-year-old Democrat, Destiny Preston.
O’Hara is a pre-med graduate of the University of Hawaii, a resident since 1997, a family man, businessman, and civic group participant — a “what you see is what you get” type.
Preston is a state government employee working remotely from Encinitas since moving here in 2022. Looking at her resumé, she seems singularly ill-suited to serve on the council.
Preston’s newcomer status has been criticized on social media, including a cartoon depicting her as a carpetbagger. That’s enough of an issue for her that she responded with a “Myths vs Facts” page on her website.
Her response includes the risible claim that she “grew up right here in our region and her entire immediate family is within a 150-mile radius of Encinitas.”
Despite the City Council being a nonpartisan office, Preston emphasizes her San Diego County Democratic Party endorsement. She has little to say about issues, instead focusing on her “values” and resumé.
Yet the closer one looks, the less appealing she seems.
What is clear is that Preston has been groomed as a candidate since before she first came to Encinitas in 2022. She was very busy the following year. In 2023, Destiny was appointed to three advisory boards — the Coast Advisory Board, Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association, and the San Diego County Community Action Partnership Advisory Board, the latter by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.
She also changed her residence to District 2, knowing that Councilwoman Kellie Hinze would not seek reelection, and signed up for Emerge California’s “6-month, intensive training program for Democratic women who are planning to run for elected office,” which concluded in 2024.
Also, to claim “Businesswoman” as part of her ballot designation, Preston established a massage therapy business. Keep in mind that she has a full-time state government job, sits on three boards, and is running for election, so it’s hard to imagine that she has much time for business.
That’s probably a good thing — a visit to her website makes it clear that her appointment calendar is wide open. But the “businesswoman” designation enjoys credibility with low-information voters, of whom there are many.
With that preparation, Destiny was ready to go.
She launched in March 2024, pulled her election papers in May, and was feted in June at an event held at state Sen. Catherine Blakespear’s home, which was also hosted by Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner, Councilmember Kellie Hinze and Councilmember Joy Lyndes, Lawson-Remer and former Councilmember Lisa Shaffer.
If you believe that sponsorship is a coincidence, well, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Preston’s campaign seems to be built around three parallel strategies: avoid taking positions that could shed light on her views, trumpet the Democratic Party endorsement, and rely on supporters to ooh and ah about her credentials as a “public servant.”
We’ll see whether or not that strategy is a good one.
In this writer’s view, Preston’s resumé should be disqualifying for election to City Council.
The main fault line in Encinitas politics is Sacramento’s intensifying pressure to densify the city. The issue has repeatedly featured in local elections and has been the subject of litigation.
State lawmakers and policymakers want more multi-family housing in Encinitas and other coastal communities. Residents’ natural and reasonable fear is that this will negatively affect the city.
These are tricky policy shoals through which the City Council must navigate. The community needs elected officials who will seek ways to avoid harm or slow down the process, awaiting a less demanding housing policy regime.
Both Mayor Tony Kranz and his challenger, Councilmember Bruce Ehlers, seem amenable to that approach. But they will need others on the council to support them.
Candidate O’Hara could be that sort of council member. Preston cannot. Both her academic career and her time as a government employee make it clear that she is all-in with the density program. Her livelihood depends upon advancing the mass transit/density agenda.
It would be unreasonable to expect that she would negate her well-paid work in “public service” by adopting positions on the council to resist the density agenda. She rose as a darling of the local Democrat establishment because she was on board with the plan. If elected, she will owe her seat (and future prospects) to her conformity to that agenda.
Destiny Preston is an opportunistic public-sector careerist who is unmistakably a part of the Sacramento establishment pushing urban density in Encinitas and other coastal communities.
If that is what you want to see in Encinitas, she’s your girl. If not, Jim O’Hara seems like the better choice.
13 comments
I am appalled that Coast News allows Garvin Walsh regular space for his op-eds. Yes, op-eds are biased, but Mr. Walsh actually makes false claims in his columns, like the one titled “No to ‘Density’ Preston.” What an insult to Destiny Preston in the title. He provides no example or evidence that she supports random density development. I can only think that he is attacking her because she is a well-educated, experienced Democrat. Destiny is the most qualified candidate for Encinitas City Council that I have ever seen.
Currently, she is a full-time Assistant Deputy Director of Planning with the California Transportation Commission, and she works to advance climate action and enhance safety for all users of our statewide transportation network. Destiny’s government experience has primarily focused on environmental policy, climate change adaptation, and transportation planning. She serves on Leucadia 101’s Main Street Association’s Board of Directors and is the Chair of the Economic Development Committee. Ms. Preston also represents Encinitas and coastal San Diego County on the County Community Action Board.
Where the heck does Mr. Walsh come up with his false statements?! He also uses the word “newcomer” to further denounce Destiny, referring to her as a “carpetbagger.” Please read Kellie Shay Hinze’s op-ed about Destiny Preston, which gives you a truthful perspective on Destiny’s life: https://thecoastnews.com/opinion-why-im-endorsing-destiny-preston-for-encinitas-city-council/
Before you judge Destiny Preston based on the Mr. Walsh’s false statement, please visit her webpage https://www.destiny4encinitas.com/ You will see that she has experience, education, and a good heart. Destiny Preston will be a wonderful asset as our City Council member in District 2.
This hit piece written by an elderly male, who was endorsed by conspiracy theorist Carl De Maio for his current position on the San Diego Republican Central Committee, highlights the need for more diverse voices in our City’s leadership. Destiny is extaordinarily over qualified for this position. She is highly educated in Environmental Science, Conflict Resolution and Urban Planning with strong professional background in coastal land use issues, transportation and climate change. Destiny has strong family roots in Encinitas. She spent her vacations in Encinitas since 1994 with her local family. This author ignores how difficult it is for all millenials to be able to afford to live in Encinitas. Destiny wanted to move to Encinitas long ago and worked very hard to achieve a professional income level that finally gave her the means to live here. Anyone who does not understand this current struggle for all millenials due to skyrocketing housing costs and stagnant wages is living with their head in the sand. Mr. Walsh, important for you to know that, per Tina Fey, the rudest question people ask accomplished women is: “How do you juggle it all?” Why don’t you ask the same question of your favored male candidates – Ehlers/Shaffer and O’Hara? Destiny’s courage in the face of merciless attacks by her opponents’ circle is only one example of important leadership skills that will make our community stronger. Destiny has my District 2 neighbors and my vote.
Cont.
But Garvin Walsh is a political opportunist, playing residents for his personal amusement and potential gain.
As a D2 resident, I wholeheartedly agree that Destiny Preston is a NO for Leucadia. Mr Walsh’s bias notwithstanding, Preston would be similar to another four years of Hinze. Kellie Hinze is a no show for her district, supported every single density project and most recently made a special appearance during her maternity leave for a vote to deny her district new park on land specifically purchased for that use. Density Preston who’s carefully controlled campaign has been unavailable and often seemingly unwilling to engage with her potential D2 residents.
Mr Walsh, a known supporter/associate of Mayor Kranz, stated mayor Kranz along with mayoral candidate Bruce Ehlers, are receptive to more reasonable solutions to density projects.
When exactly, Mr Walsh, did Tony Kranz
deny ANY density project in Encinitas. In fact he’s part of the Blakespear council who has saddled Leucadia with some of the most egregious projects in the city.
My take on this commentary, is that Mr Kranz is still batting for team Tony and that his oases attacked will do just the opposite of his intentions and rile up more support for her.
Destiny may be a carpetbagger, but Garvin Walsh is
Good summary of the facts. I would add that we should also follow the money. Each candidate is required to file a form 460 detailing the sources and uses of money in their campaign (I found these interesting forms in a search of the City of Encinitas website). Assuming I properly understand these seemingly straightforward forms, my examination of the fillings indicates that through June 30, 2024, Destiny had raised ~$21,000 of which $11,650 (55%) is from out of town contributors and James O’Hara had raised ~$9,800 of which $1,700 (17%) is from out of town contributors. In Destiny’s case, the contributors are from many different cities including Eureka, Oakland, San Francisco and Sacramento, California and Denver, Colorado. I ask myself what motivates a person in Denver to finance Destiny’s campaign.
Thank you, Mr. Walsh for an absolutely spot-on summary of why I so strongly object to Developer Darling Density Preston’s candidacy. In the words of Meredith (“The Music Man”) Willson, “[s]he doesn’t know the territory.” In contrast to O’Hara, who has set down deep personal and professional roots in our community, Preston shows no evidence whatsoever of actually caring about Encinitas. I also do not trust anyone who is so concerned about fealty to any given political party.
I have been told privately that Preston does not support Blakespear’s neighborhood-destroying stack-and-pack housing policies. If this true, why is she so afraid to state this openly and to tell us very specifically what her position on housing is and whether she cares in any way about our established residential neighborhoods?
Why in the world does Coast News bother with Garvin Walsh?
Well, apparently Garvin Walsh says the right things at the right time for Coast News.
It’s not relevant, it’s not balanced or of interest to voters, he isn’t qualified in any way, but Coast News wants us to read his bs in any case.
Why is that? Why is an elderly white Republican man from the East Coast a spokesperson for Encinitas voting decisions as far as the Coast News is concerned?
Why are you so against freedom of expression? Why does everyone have to agree with your own point of view? Politically, Walsh is to my right, and I disagree with him on a number of issues, but his observations regarding Preston are absolutely factual and on target. I am not voting for Walsh, but for O’Hara.
Preston is a graduate of the man hating female only Democrat candidate mill called Emerge.
Catherine Blakespear asked her to run.
She is clearly a plant and Kranz, Blackwell and Lyndes will do anything they can to keep the developer puppet fauxgressive movement going. More bike lanes, more developments, less options for the disabled and seniors, more stressful driving and less parking.
This has been going nonstop ever since Blakespear was corrupted in her third term.
It’s time to get Encinitas back.
Bruce Ehlers for Mayor
Luke Shaffer for D1
Jim O’Hara for D2
Mr. Walsh’s frequent criticism of those with whom he disagrees might have more credibility if he didn’t have such a checkered past himself, or such a relatively short history in our state and community.
It took only two years after moving from New Jersey in 2018 for Walsh to jump on the Encinitas grievance train. He has very publicly complained about everything from COVID restrictions, school curricula, teachers’ unions, housing density, homelessness, school board candidates, laws protecting LGBTQ kids, and so much more, yet he accuses Destiny Preston of being a “carpetbagger.” Where does Walsh draw the line for being a carpetbagger? – he seems to be one himself.
Walsh dismisses Preston’s impressive educational credentials and work experience, suggesting that she simply isn’t up to the demands of the role she seeks, but offers no actual disqualifications other than the fact that she is a progressive supported by progressives – definitely not his flavor of politics. For those who may not know, Walsh is an elected member of the Republican Central Committee, so don’t imagine for a minute that his criticisms and opinions are non-partisan.
Walsh has proven his willingness to twist the truth to support his scathing opinions. I called out Walsh’s manipulation and cherry-picking of census numbers in his recent hit piece against Terra Lawson-Remer. The numbers he cited were grossly exaggerated. His accusations and misogynistic comments against Ms. Preston are similarly disingenuous.
Walsh’s lack of credibility and hyper-partisanship is exposed for all to see in the recent piece he published on Republican Party’s San Diego News Desk about the Trump-Harris debate. By Walsh’s analysis, Trump won the presidential debate hands down. Oddly, even Fox News admitted that Harris won in a rout. As Karl Rove declared, “there’s no putting lipstick on this pig… Trump was crushed by a woman he previously dismissed as ‘dumb as a rock.'” If you are so blindly partisan that you can’t see in real time what is in right front of your eyes, what does that say about the value of your opinion? Not much, I’d warrant.
I am not voting for Walsh, who is not running for any office, but I am voting for O’Hara and endorsing Shaffer. Whatever Walsh is, he is correct on the Preston v. O’Hara issue. Fortunately, in this election I am able to vote FOR O’Hara, not merely AGAINST Preston. It is refreshing this time to have something other than the proverbial — and much too frequent — “lesser of evils / pick your poison” runoff election. My one critique of Walsh’s commentary is that he is so focused on Preston’s many liabilities that he fails to enumerate why O’Hara would be such a good choice, someone who actually cares about Encinitas.
My objection to Preston is that I do not see her caring about our established residential neighborhoods or trying to protect them in any way from the sort of abuse summarized in this Hall of Shame:
https://obrag.org/2024/09/top-3-winners-of-ob-rag-worst-adu-contest-plus-dishonorable-mentions/
The author states “She also changed her residence to District 2, knowing that Councilwoman Kellie Hinze would not seek reelection”, which is lazy language…can you prove she knew that? Or share anything, beyond assumption, that indicates how you know she knew that?
The author also states “Looking at her resumé, she seems singularly ill-suited to serve on the council.” But never shares what it is about her resume that makes her ill-suited in his opinion.
It is indeed odd that a man who has only lived in Encinitas for six years is commenting on Destiny’s “newcomer” status. The double standard of an elderly man who deigns to write Op-Eds because he believes HIS newcomer opinion trumps another newcomers willingness to serve, all the while condescending to refer to her as a “girl”, when a look at her LinkedIn profile shows she is clearly more educated and experienced than he is shows us that if we are looking for opinion pieces written with heart and intelligence, Garvin is not our boy.
I am not voting for Walsh, who is not running for office. I am voting FOR O’Hara, because I trust him to represent the interests of our established residential neighborhoods, something I cannot say about Preston, who reads like a party loyalist and developer-funded advocate for high density infill.
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