Key Takeaways
- • Steve Cohen, a 79-year-old former KUSI-TV news director of 20 years, is the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat Scott Peters in California's 50th Congressional District, a seat where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly 2 to 1 among about 475,000 voters.
- • Cohen finished as the top Republican vote-getter in the June 2 primary with 85,000 votes, which he described as the largest total for a Republican challenger in many years according to his own account.
- • Cohen says his campaign has no super PAC or large-donor backing and relies on personal outreach, with endorsements from the California Republican Party and Reform California.
- • Cohen described the local news media as having already decided the race, noting that no reporters attended a press conference he called at the County Registrar's Office.
- • With the Nov. 3 general election days away, Cohen called the experience "a positive personal experience" while remaining optimistic about the outcome.
Summary
Steve Cohen, who spent a half-century in television newsroom leadership, including 20 years as news director at San Diego's KUSI-TV, accepted an invitation from local Republican Party officials last March to run for Congress in California's 50th Congressional District. According to Times of San Diego, Cohen, 79, won the top Republican vote total in the June 2 primary and will face Democratic incumbent Scott Peters, who has served in Congress for 13 years and is seeking a seventh term.
The district has roughly 475,000 voters, according to the California Secretary of State, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1. Cohen said he received 85,000 votes in the primary, which he characterized as the largest figure for a Republican challenger in many years. He said his campaign operates without large donations or super PAC support and relies on direct voter contact. He credited endorsements from the California Republican Party and Reform California, the political organization founded by Carl DeMaio, with raising his campaign's profile.
Cohen said the most discouraging aspect of the race has been what he described as local media outlets treating the outcome as settled. He said a press conference he announced at the County Registrar's Office drew no members of the news media. Despite that, he said he would continue door-knocking and calling voters. With the general election on Nov. 3, Cohen described the campaign as a positive personal experience and said he remains optimistic about the result. The 50th District covers La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Point Loma, Coronado, downtown San Diego, Poway, and portions of San Marcos and Escondido.
The district has roughly 475,000 voters, according to the California Secretary of State, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1. Cohen said he received 85,000 votes in the primary, which he characterized as the largest figure for a Republican challenger in many years. He said his campaign operates without large donations or super PAC support and relies on direct voter contact. He credited endorsements from the California Republican Party and Reform California, the political organization founded by Carl DeMaio, with raising his campaign's profile.
Cohen said the most discouraging aspect of the race has been what he described as local media outlets treating the outcome as settled. He said a press conference he announced at the County Registrar's Office drew no members of the news media. Despite that, he said he would continue door-knocking and calling voters. With the general election on Nov. 3, Cohen described the campaign as a positive personal experience and said he remains optimistic about the result. The 50th District covers La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Point Loma, Coronado, downtown San Diego, Poway, and portions of San Marcos and Escondido.
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