Ron Roberts Will Run to Retain Council Seat

Roberts on Tuesday announced his candidacy for reelection, a race that is widely viewed as a prelude to a mayoral bid next year.

Flanked by community leaders who praised his performance during his first four-year term, the 2nd District councilman said he intends to use this fall’s campaign to “debate the ideas, issues and challenges of importance to the neighborhoods.”

Roberts’ announcement at an Ocean Beach news conference means that, as expected, all four council incumbents whose terms expire in December--Roberts, Wes Pratt, Bruce Henderson and Bob Filner--will seek this fall to retain the seats they won in 1987.

With the candidacy filing deadline still 2 1/2 weeks away, Roberts probably will face at least two rivals--former City Hall aide Richard Grosch and magician Loch David Crane, a frequent long-shot candidate, in the September primary.

If no candidate receives the 50%-plus majority needed for an outright victory in the district-only primary, the top two vote-getters will compete in a November runoff, again solely within the district.

Within political circles, the consensus is that this fall’s council campaign could serve as Roberts’ tune-up for the 1992 mayoral campaign, in which he is expected to try to succeed Mayor Maureen O’Connor, who has announced her plans to retire next year.

A strong showing this fall, political strategists argue, would give Roberts valuable momentum going into next year’s citywide campaign.