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Jim Desmond
American politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jim Desmond is an American politician and retired aviator serving as a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from the fifth district since 2019.[1] A member of the Republican Party, he served as vice chair of the body from 2020 to 2021 and previously served as mayor of San Marcos, California, from 2006 to 2018.[2]
On January 16, 2025, Desmond announced that he was running for California's 49th congressional district in the 2026 election.[3]
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Early career and education
Desmond served in the United States Navy as an aircraft electrician from 1974 to 1979 before obtaining his pilot's license from San Diego Flight Schools between 1978 and 1983. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from San Diego State University in 1985.[4] After college, he founded Technical Standards, Inc. a technical writing company.[5]
Desmond worked as a pilot from 1986 to 2020, flying Boeing 757/767 aircraft with Delta Airlines. He retired early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
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Political career
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Desmond served on the San Marcos city council from 2004 to 2006 before being elected as the city's mayor in 2006.[7] He was re-elected in 2010 and 2014 without opposition.[8][9]
In 2018, Desmond ran for the fifth district seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Desmond, a Republican, and Michelle Gomez, a Democrat, advanced from the June primary with 45.1% and 22.9% of the vote, respectively.[10] Desmond went on to defeat Gomez in the November general election with 56.3% of the vote.[11][12]
In 2018, Desmond sided with the Trump administration during a lawsuit against the state of California over its passage of Senate Bill 54, which made it a sanctuary state.[13]
He ran for re-election in 2022, and was challenged by Democratic neuroscientist Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson. Since no other candidates qualified to run, both candidates automatically advanced from the June primary. Desmond defeated Boyd-Hodgson 60.1% to 39.9% in the November general election.[14]
Board of Supervisors tenure
Desmond was a critic of the government response to COVID-19, arguing that schools and the economy should be reopened safely and that the dangers of the disease, particularly in schools, were exaggerated.[15]
Desmond criticized the immigration policy of the Joe Biden administration, saying that it made the United States "more unsafe."[16] In 2024, he testified before the Republican-led House Committee on Homeland Security, saying that an influx of migrants have placed a strain on San Diego County's resources.[17]
In December 2024, he voted against a resolution restricting law enforcement in San Diego County from using county resources to cooperate with federal authorities, including ICE.[18][19][20]
In February 2025, Desmond attended a press conference with other Republicans from Southern California to promote a state senate bill that would weaken California's sanctuary law, SB54, that limits law enforcement's ability to cooperate with ICE.[21][22]
In April 2025, Desmond sent letters to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding intervention in the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis. Untreated wastewater from Mexico crosses the border and washes out to sea, which has led to a three year closure of beaches as well as serious health issues.[23]
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Personal life
Desmond is married and has two children. As of 2022, Desmond and his wife reside in Oceanside, California.[24][25]
References
External links
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