Munoz Quits as Democratic Party Chief

Irma Munoz, whose chairmanship of the San Diego County Democratic Party saw the party strengthen its ties with organized labor and smooth relations with its elected officials, announced her resignation Wednesday.

Munoz, a self-described “take-charge lady” guided by what she characterized as a “big-umbrella approach” in her attempts to broaden the local party’s base, said she decided to step down in order to concentrate on her job as chief of staff to Assemblyman Pete Chacon (D-San Diego).

Chacon faces a strong challenge in the June 5 Democratic primary from former San Diego City Councilwoman Celia Ballesteros, and Munoz said that, by stepping down now--rather than next month, when a new county Central Committee will be elected--she hopes to avoid accusations that partisanship might influence her actions as party leader.

“I am involved on a daily basis with dozens of community groups,” Munoz said. “That work is important to me and to Assemblyman Chacon, and I don’t want it to be subject to campaign-based accusations that I am involved with it for partisan purposes. I’ve enjoyed this time of service, but it is clearly time to move on.”

As highlights of her nearly four-year tenure, Munoz cited a “stronger working relationship” with organized labor--historically, one of the party’s most significant allies--and voter registration drives aimed at “providing political empowerment to communities of color.”

In addition, Munoz’s position on Chacon’s staff enhanced her role as a liaison between the local party apparatus and Democratic elected officials, easing tensions that stem largely from each group’s belief that the other does not understand its needs or do enough to accomplish mutual goals.

“She made the party a more vital force,” said political consultant Larry Remer. “Perhaps not as vital as I and some others would like, but there was definite progress.”

Munoz fell short, however, of the voter registration targets she identified as her top priority when she took office in July, 1986, when local Republicans had surpassed the Democrats in registration within the city of San Diego for the first time.

Though the Democrats now hold a slim registration lead within the city--43.3% to 43%--the party’s countywide position slipped during the past four years. Over that period, the Republican edge in countywide registration widened from 5.9 percentage points to the current 8.3 points, 47.3% to 39%, according to figures from the county registrar of voters.

Another disappointment, Munoz conceded, involves the local party’s failure to significantly improve its candidate development program. In next month’s primary, for example, there will be no Democrats on the ballot in two local congressional districts and one state Senate district held by Republicans.

“It’s very difficult to attract candidates to run in a strong, Republican-dominated county,” Munoz said. But it probably will require an infusion of money and other resources from the state party, she added, for that to begin to change.

As a result of Munoz’s resignation, the local party’s vice chairman, Henry Auerbach, will serve as party head until July, when the newly elected Central Committee will select a new chairman to serve a two-year term.