Issa gets another Democratic challenger in redrawn 48th district

Navy veteran and Palm Springs bartender Marc Iannarino is challenging Rep Darrell Issa in the th district Photo courtesy of Marc Iannarino Marc Iannarino U S Navy veteran and Palm Springs bartender is jumping into the race against Rep Darrell Issa in California s th congressional district Iannarino pegged his campaign announcement to Veterans Day and revealed his working-class background would be a welcome change to a political system overrepresented by elites Watching armed services used to intimidate U S citizens that was a tipping point for me Iannarino reported Times of San Diego I watched and that was my inspiration for joining the military Watching this moment now I feel the call again Iannarino joins a crowded field to represent a th congressional district that became a national battleground for control of the House of Representatives when California voters overwhelmingly passed Prop last week The new congressional map approved by voters moved the district from a safe Republican seat to a toss up The group challenging Issa already includes familiar San Diego figures in Ammar Campa-Najjar who lost to Issa in and San Diego Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert who flipped the seat covering the city s northeastern suburbs in Three other Democrats who already filed to challenge Republican Rep Ken Calvert commented they planned to instead challenge Issa based on the new map Iannarino not only dismissed concerns that bartending hadn t prepared him to work in congress he revealed it s the perfect training to be a good representative bartenders need to listen more than they talk and interact with all kinds of people He declared maintaining healthcare coverage and minimizing cost increases would be his top priority Healthcare costs are the biggest travesty in this country premiums are about to skyrocket and I will fight with every breath in my body to stop that from happening he disclosed