Rep. Darrell Issa blamed President Obama for real estate developer Donald Trump‘s meteoric rise and said he wished it were possible to start over with the Republican race.
“Donald Trump got his job because this President has been so polarizing,” said Issa, who initially supported Marco Rubio but ultimately endorsed Trump. “I would love to redo the deck and start over.”
He said voters are angry at government, but added that’s “not a good reason to have passed over experienced governors and senators.”
Issa and three other members of Congress representing San Diego County spoke at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce‘s annual Congressional luncheon at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.
They took questions on issues ranging from Donald Trump to gun control to international trade to dysfunction in Washington.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, who has also endorsed Trump, said he was not planning to attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
“I think it’s going to be mayhem and riots and hooligans and thugs. And that’s just the actual convention,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Issa and Hunter, the two Republicans in the delegation, agreed with Democrats Scott Peters and Susan Davis that Washington could learn from how San Diego’s elected officials work together.
“For a lot of us, we probably feel like we’re watching a reality show,” said Davis. “Maybe we have a great example here in San Diego.”
Peters noted that in “dysfunctional DC” politicians don’t often work across party lines.
“People are tired of a lot of rhetoric and not getting things done,” he said. “On San Diego stuff, we come together and work together. That’s just not the ethic in Congress.”
The Transportation Security Administration came in for criticism becuase of the long lines. Hunter suggested privatizing the agency, and Issa said it has to many people in management positions in Washington.
Chamber President and CEO Jerry Sanders said the annual luncheon is intended to help the Congressional delegation “truly understand the challenges and opportunities we’re working with in San Diego. ”
Over 500 attended the event, which was sponsored by Bridgepoint Education, BAE Systems and SeaWorld San Diego.
