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Jim Desmond

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American politician

Jim Desmond
Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
In office
January 5, 2020 – January 5, 2021
Preceded byGreg Cox
Succeeded byNora Vargas
Member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
from the 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 7, 2019
Preceded byBill Horn
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
Children2
EducationSan Diego State University (BS)
Military service
Branch/service United States Navy

Jim Desmond is an American politician and retired aviator serving as a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from the fifth district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as vice chair of the body from 2020 to 2021 and previously served as mayor of San Marcos, California, from 2006 to 2018.

On January 16, 2025, Desmond announced that he was running for California's 49th congressional district in the 2026 election.

Early career and education

Desmond served in the United States Navy as an aircraft electrician from 1974 to 1979 before obtaining his pilots license from San Diego Flight Schools between 1978 and 1983. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from San Diego State University in 1985. After college, he founded Technical Standards, Inc. a technical writing company.

Desmond worked as a pilot from 1986 to 2020, flying Boeing 737 aircraft with Delta Airlines. He retired early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Political career

Desmond served on the San Marcos city council from 2004 to 2006 before being elected as the city's mayor in 2006. He was re-elected in 2010 and 2014 without opposition.

In 2018, Desmond ran for the fifth district seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Desmond, a Republican, and Michelle Gomez, a Democrat, advanced from the June primary with 45.1% and 22.9% of the vote, respectively. Desmond went on to defeat Gomez in the November general election with 56.3% of the vote.

He ran for re-election in 2022, and was challenged by Democratic neuroscientist Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson. Since no other candidates qualified to run, both candidates automatically advanced from the June primary. Desmond defeated Boyd-Hodgson 60.1% to 39.9% in the November general election.

Political positions

Climate change

Desmond has denied the effects of human activity on climate change, while acknowledging its impacts, such as sea level rise.

COVID-19

Desmond has been described as a COVID-19 skeptic, referring to only a fraction of deaths from COVID-19 as "pure."

Immigration

In 2018, then-mayor Desmond sided with the Trump administration during a lawsuit against the state of California over its passage of Senate Bill 54, which made it a sanctuary state.

Desmond has criticized the immigration policy of the Joe Biden administration, claiming that it has made the United States "more unsafe." In 2024, he testified before the Republican-led House Committee on Homeland Security, saying that an influx of migrants have placed a strain on San Diego County's resources.

In December 2024, he voted against a resolution restricting law enforcement in San Diego County from using county resources to cooperate with federal authorities, including ICE, with planned mass deportations.

Personal life

Desmond moved to San Diego when he joined the Navy in 1984. He is married and has two children. As of 2022, Desmond and his wife reside in Oceanside, California.

References

  1. ^ Mowad, Michelle (January 7, 2019). "County Officials Sworn In". County News Center. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  2. "How San Diego politicians make national issues local flashpoints". KPBS Public Media. January 18, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  3. City News Service (January 16, 2025). "Supervisor Jim Desmond launches campaign for 49th Congressional District". NBC 7 San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  4. Jim Desmond on LinkedIn
  5. "Supervisor Jim Desmond - Jim Desmond". www.supervisorjimdesmond.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  6. "Desmond Departs Delta". Borrego Sun. September 23, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  7. "Supervisor Jim Desmond - Jim Desmond". www.supervisorjimdesmond.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  8. "One last wave as pols take their leave". SignOnSanDiego.com. August 13, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  9. McDonald, Jeff (October 14, 2010). "San Marcos city manager pay defended - SignOnSanDiego.com". Sign on San Diego. Archived from the original on October 14, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  10. "San Diego County Live Election Results". San Diego County Registrar of Voters. July 5, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  11. City News Service (November 6, 2018). "Nathan Fletcher, Jim Desmond win San Diego County Board of Supervisors seats". ABC 10 News San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  12. "San Diego County Live Election Results". San Diego County Registrar of Voters. December 6, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  13. Deborah Sullivan Brennan (November 22, 2022). "San Diego County supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Jim Desmond easily win re-election". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.(subscription required)
  14. Scott Lewis; Andrew Keatts (April 27, 2019). "Politics Report: What Kind of Vision? Bold!". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  15. Stegall, Katy (August 20, 2020). "Supervisor by Day, But a COVID-19 Skeptic on the Airwaves". Voice of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  16. "President Trump thanks San Diego County for backing 'sanctuary' lawsuit". cbs8.com. April 16, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  17. "Biden administration's border policies have made US 'more unsafe': Jim Desmond". Fox News. September 18, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.(subscription required)
  18. Mendoza, Alexandra (September 19, 2024). "Supervisor Desmond, former San Diego Border Patrol chief testify at House hearing". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.(subscription required)
  19. City News Service (December 10, 2024). "San Diego County Supervisors vote to deny aid to feds on immigration enforcement". NBC 7 San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  20. Arnold, Jeff (December 13, 2024). "San Diego County votes to become 'super sanctuary' for migrants". News Nation. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  21. Rivera, Salvador (December 10, 2024). "County of San Diego won't use its resources to help ICE deport unlawful migrants". Border Report. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  22. MIKE PRESTON - San Marcos councilman (January 27, 2009). "FORUM: San Marcos needs ethics code". Nctimes.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  23. Brennan, Deborah Sullivan (May 11, 2022). "Incumbent supervisor faces scientist for North County district". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 6, 2022. (subscription required)

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