A campaign rooted in opposite ideology has been heating up San Diego County. The 52nd Congressional District is no doubt one of the hottest tickets come this November. Incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray is set to take on Port Commissioner Scott Peters in a very tight election.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, who has been headlining campaign fundraising events for Peters, said he didn't think there was a better candidate in the country. Hoyer has also labeled Bilbray as a component of an unproductive House of Representatives.

The dominate narrative of this election is Bilbray's campaign contributions, totaling about $1.4 million, according to KPBS. This number is much larger than Peter's $736,000. More importantly, though, is where the money came from. Around 53 percent of Bilbray's campaign cash has come from political action committees. Peters has loaned himself more money than he has raised.

However, money woes hasn't slowed down the Peters campaign. According to MayAnne Pintar, spokesperson for the Peters campaign, told KPBS, "I think it’s no secret that this is going to be an expensive campaign. But, we are ready and I think we are going to have the resources to take (Bilbray) on.”

Peters has spent the summer linking Bilbray to extreme positions on the budget and women's issues. Even comparing Bilbray to U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin.

“If you look at his record on these choice issues, on these women’s issues, even access to contraception, basic things that should have been decided 30 years ago, he’s right with Congressman Akin." sated Peters, reported by UT- San Diego.  "We are going to make sure that people understand that this is a really extreme view that he’s taken and that’s not representative of the district that we are running in.”

The Bilbray campaign fired back that the Peters campaign is resorting to these tactics in order to avoid talking about financial issues.

 

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Reach Staff Reporter Alexis Miller here.