California — 48th District

Jim Desmond, 70, a Republican and San Diego County supervisor, is running for Congress representing inland North County cities, the San Diego County backcountry and parts of Riverside County in California’s 48th Congressional District.

Originally from Illinois, Desmond lives in Oceanside and is serving his second term on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, where he faces term limits.

The San Diego Union-Tribune emailed a series of questions to Desmond and other candidates to help inform voters about their positions, priorities and plans if elected.

Desmond said he did not use any AI tools in responding to the Union-Tribune’s questions.

1) Why are you running, and what makes you the best candidate?

I’m a proud Navy veteran, San Diego County supervisor, retired airline pilot and former local business owner who always answered the call to serve. Now I’m running to represent you in Congress.

Washington, D.C., and Sacramento lost the spirit of service and common sense. They fueled corruption, inflation by overspending, caused a border crisis and let families get priced out of the communities they love. You deserve better.

Decades of local service as mayor and county supervisor have given me a deep understanding of local, state and federal issues. I have worked across all levels of government to deliver common-sense solutions on housing, infrastructure, water, and public safety. I will bring knowledge of local issues to Congress to fight for Southern California and deliver real results for families in the 48th district.

2) What are the top 3 issues facing this district?

Cost of living, public safety and border security are hurting working families. Housing is unaffordable, gas prices are among the highest in the nation, and groceries cost too much. I will cut federal regulations driving up construction costs and fight against any new gas or mileage taxes that hurt working families.

Washington and Sacramento have made law enforcement’s job harder with early prisoner release and reduced penalties for repeat offenders. I will restore federal support for local law enforcement and crack down on fentanyl trafficking.

An unsecured border strains local services and creates real public safety consequences. I will fight to sustain border security gains and ensure the progress we have made is protected.

3) What are the first 3 things you would do in your first/next term in Congress?

I will fight to make life more affordable. That means cutting federal regulations driving up housing costs, lowering the tax burden on working families, opposing any new gas or vehicle mileage taxes and cutting reckless spending that drives inflation.

Second, I will fight to sustain border security gains and work to strengthen cooperation between federal and local law enforcement. Progress has been made, but it must be protected.

Third, I will work to strengthen federal support for local law enforcement, crack down on fentanyl trafficking and reverse the soft-on-crime policies that have left too many California communities feeling unsafe.

4) If your party wins control of Congress, what should be its first priority? If your party loses control of Congress, what should be its first priority?

Majority or minority, the mission remains the same. Affordability is still the defining issue for working families in this district. Gas prices, housing costs and groceries are squeezing people who are working hard yet still falling behind.

Republicans must unite and hold Democrats accountable for all tax-and-spend policies. I’ll work to block tax increases, oppose reckless spending that drives inflation and hold the majority accountable for every dollar they spend. The American people deserve a Congress that fights for them, regardless of who holds the gavel.

5) President Trump has made cracking down on immigration a cornerstone of his administration, ordering widespread arrests and detentions of immigrants nationwide and directing military resources to a new military zone along the U.S.-Mexico border. What impact have these had on this district? What are your goals on immigrants, immigration and the border, and how would you pursue them if elected? What is your message to constituents who are immigrants?

Border security is working. Illegal crossings in San Diego County are down 93%, the lowest levels since the 1960s. That is what happens when you restore law and order.

My goal is an immigration system that is secure, orderly and humane. I support legal immigration. San Diego’s defense, life sciences and technology industries depend on highly skilled professionals who come here and contribute. I support a merit-based system that rewards skill and contribution, not one that rewards illegal entry.

To legal immigrants in this district who played by the rules and built their lives here: Your contributions matter. I will fight for a system worthy of the sacrifices you made to be here.

6) It’s been nearly two months since the United States began a war with Iran. Do you believe Americans are better or worse off for it? What should Congress’s role be? Would you vote to let the president continue the war beyond the 60 days after which congressional authorization is required?

Neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities protects American lives and our allies. As a Navy veteran, I understand what is at stake. On balance, confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions was necessary. But Americans are also feeling the real costs. Gas prices have surged and inflation is rising. That cannot be dismissed.

Congress has a constitutional duty here. The War Powers Resolution exists for a reason, and the 60-day deadline is now. I would support authorization only if the administration presents clear objectives, a defined strategy and a responsible path forward for our servicemembers.

7) Recent jumps in the cost of fuel, food and other goods — combined with federal cuts to safety-net programs, new limits on certain federal loans and more — are squeezing residents already struggling with San Diego County’s high costs of living. What relief would you seek to offer, and how?

San Diego families are paying $6 a gallon while the national average is $4.30. That $1.70 gap is Sacramento’s doing — the highest gas tax in the nation, a major refinery closed, another now idled and another automatic gas tax increase coming this July. They need to be held accountable, and I’m calling on Sacramento to suspend the gas tax to give working families relief.

Washington, D.C. needs to cut spending and not add to the burden with new taxes. I will oppose any new federal gas or mileage taxes, fight to cut regulations driving up housing costs and push to expand domestic energy production to bring prices down for good.

8) Like much of California, this district has been affected by the effects of climate change. How should Congress mitigate those impacts, and what would you do to pursue such efforts?

San Diegans know firsthand that wildfires and droughts are real and serious. The question is not whether to act but how.

Congress should invest in technology, innovation and infrastructure that reduces wildfire risk, protects water supply and develops cleaner energy that works for California families. I will fight to fund forest management on federal lands, prioritize water storage projects that protect communities during drought and support domestic energy innovation that reduces emissions without crushing working families. Real solutions protect both our environment and our economy.

9) Polling underscores that one chief concern of California voters in the 2026 midterm elections is the issue of threats to democracy. What do you believe are the greatest threats to American democracy? How would you, and how should Congress, protect against these?

One of the greatest threats to democracy is politicians drawing their own district maps to protect their own power. Gavin Newsom and Sacramento Democrats did exactly that with Proposition 50, stripping an independent redistricting commission of its authority and replacing it with maps drawn by the Democratic supermajority designed to gain a partisan advantage. This is not democracy, this is self-dealing.

I support voter ID for federal elections because every eligible voter deserves to know their vote is not diluted by illegal votes. I also support banning congressional stock trading, enacting term limits and restoring real congressional oversight of the executive branch. Democracy works when elected officials serve the people, not themselves.

10) Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading?

I support banning members and their immediate families from trading individual stocks while in office, mandatory blind trusts and independent oversight with real penalties. Congress should not police itself.

Public trust in Congress is at historic lows, and it is not difficult to understand why when lawmakers are trading stocks in the industries that they oversee. Mirroring Nancy Pelosi’s stock trades has become a legitimate investment strategy, and over a million people follow a social media account dedicated to tracking her portfolio. That is not a compliment. That is a broken system.

11) By design Congress is supposed to serve as a check on the executive branch through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe that Congress has fulfilled that obligation in recent years? Why or why not? Should Congress do more to hold the president accountable? Explain.

Congress has not always fulfilled its oversight responsibilities, and the differences between the last two administrations are a clear example of that.

Under the Biden administration, federal spending spiraled with little meaningful congressional pushback, the border was left unsecured despite clear warning signs and executive agencies operated with limited scrutiny. Democrats in Congress largely looked the other way.

The current administration has taken a more disciplined approach to accountability, and congressional Republicans have been more engaged in providing the kind of oversight the Constitution envisions. There is still work to do; however, current congressional leadership has moved us in the right direction.

As a member of Congress, I will ask hard questions, fight to ensure there is real oversight and hold the executive branch accountable, regardless of the political consequences, because Americans deserve nothing less.

12) A recent San Diego Union-Tribune poll found voters overwhelmingly disapprove of the job Congress is doing, by higher margins than they disapprove of the job Trump is doing. Why do you think this is? How can Congress win back voters’ hope and trust, and what would you personally do to achieve this?

Voters are frustrated with Congress because too many career politicians have spent decades putting fundraising, self-promotion and partisan gamesmanship ahead of the people they represent.

Meanwhile, American families are getting squeezed by high gas prices, unaffordable housing, soaring grocery bills and out-of-touch politicians who are more focused on woke ideology than on real solutions.

Congress wins back trust by delivering results. That starts with common-sense leadership: cut the regulations driving up housing costs, bring down gas prices, enact term limits and ban congressional stock trading. Lawmakers should be focused on making life more affordable, not enriching themselves.

I have never treated public service as a career. I will bring that same accountability to Congress that I brought to the Navy, the cockpit and my small business.