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Paul Gaspar pulls paperwork for mayor race

ENCINITAS — A familiar surname has emerged as a potential candidate for Encinitas mayor in the first days of the filing period — Gaspar.

Not Kristin, who is not seeking re-election as mayor as she prepares for a Nov. 8 runoff election for Dist. 3 supervisor.

Paul Gaspar — Kristin’s husband and business partner — requested nomination paperwork from the City Clerk’s office for the elected office his wife currently holds.

The period for people to request and submit official election paperwork opened on July 18

Paul Gaspar is the president of the Gaspar Doctors of Physical Therapy, where his wife serves as chief financial officer.

In a news release, he boasts a number of titles associated with his physical therapy work, including director and legislative affairs leader for the California Physical Therapy Association, the state’s advocacy group for his trade.

“While Kristin’s recent primary campaign election results showed that Encinitans want her to be our next County Supervisor, I have become concerned that Encinitas may lose its way without her brand of steady leadership and focus on citizens’ priorities,” Gaspar said. “I will continue her stable, common-sense approach to governing utilizing my effective communication skills and temperament, focusing on the core services citizens expect, and rejecting partisan politics and agendas that have too often infected our city government. In addition, I will continue to reshape the culture of City Hall, fostering an environment of mutual respect, professional dialogue, and excellence.”

He is the second high-profile person to signal interest in the mayoral position. Catherine Blakespear has been actively campaigning for mayor since Feb. 29, when she announced her campaign on her Leap Year birthday.

Encinitas is in the unique position of having four of its five council seats up for election Nov. 8. The elected mayor position is up for re-election every two years as the result of the proposition that created the position.

Tony Kranz, Mark Muir and Lisa Shaffer’s seats are also up for re-election, and Shaffer has stated she would not seek re-election.

Encinitas City Clerk Kathy Hollywood said that one other person has pulled papers for one of the three open council seats, Tasha Boerner Horvath, who officially launched her campaign in May.

The filing period closes Aug. 12, unless an incumbent does not file for re-election, which triggers a five-day extension of the filing period.