CQPolitics

The 52nd wraps around the east side of San Diego from Poway in the north to east of Otay Mesa in the south, and stretches about 100 miles east and north through mountains and protected desert parks to reach San Diego County’s borders with Riverside and Imperial counties. The overwhelming majority of residents either live in predominately wealthy, conservative suburbs, or are among the roughly 15 percent of the city of San Diego’s population included in the 52nd.

After years of slow economic growth, El Cajon and Santee are in the midst of a housing boom, as property values have increased over the last decade. Poway, whose economic roots lie in agriculture, has a more wealthy, rural feel to it than the surrounding suburban sprawl, where growth is becoming a hot issue. Just outside of Poway is an expanse of evenly developed “suburbs” that includes part of Rancho Bernardo (shared with the 49th and 50th) and Scripps Ranch. Those areas, within San Diego’s city limits, have attracted both retirees and young families.

San Diego’s large military and defense-related workforce contributes to both the district’s conservatism and its robust economy. Although most of the area’s military bases are in the 53rd, many residents commute to nearby defense contracting jobs. In 2006, San Diego County voters rejected a ballot proposal to move commercial flight operations from Lindbergh Field (in the 53rd) to the current site of the Miramar air station.

The district is nearly three-fourths white, and blue- and white-collar workers alike tend to vote Republican. Arnold Schwarzenegger took 72 percent of the 2006 gubernatorial vote here — his second-best showing.

Major Industry

Technology, manufacturing, defense

Military Bases

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, 8,850 military, 1,150 civilian (2007) (shared with the 50th)

Cities

San Diego (pt.), 164,554; El Cajon, 94,869; La Mesa, 54,749; Santee, 52,975; Poway, 48,044

notable

The Unarius Academy of Science, based in El Cajon, believes UFOs will bring new technologies that will enable humanity to begin a new civilization without pollution or poverty.