In municipal government, real leadership isn’t measured by bullet points on a campaign website or scripted sound bites at a rally. It is defined by who sits in the council chamber, faces the public and does the hard work of governing when the issues are complex, emotional and raw.
This past Wednesday evening, the Encinitas City Council faced one of those moments.
On our agenda was Item 14B — a lengthy, intense and deeply personal discussion centered on federal immigration enforcement in Encinitas and how our city handles those challenges. For hours, council members sat in a packed chamber listening to our community, navigating raw emotions and confronting difficult legal and human realities.
In the end, despite varying perspectives on the dais, the council voted 5-0 to direct city staff to examine every potential adjustment Encinitas can make in its interactions with federal agents while expanding education and outreach to keep our residents informed.
It was an uncomfortable, honest and necessary discussion — the exact kind of governance local office demands.
What struck me most as I reflected on the meeting the next day wasn’t just the council’s unanimous action, but who was missing from the room.
For months, the challenger slate of Brad Lefkowits, Rimga Viskanta and Arielle Golden has made U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity a cornerstone of their campaigns. They have criticized current city actions, posted policy promises online and pledged to lead residents on this issue. Their key council ally, Councilmember Joy Lyndes — who has endorsed and actively campaigned for their slate — spearheaded bringing this item forward to give these challenges the full public focus they deserve.
Yet, on the most critical night to date when the City Council took up the very issue they claim to prioritize, Lefkowits, Viskanta and Golden were nowhere to be found.
They did not attend. They did not speak. They did not submit a speaker card to share their vision or support the community members in the room. Neither did their primary campaign backers at Encinitas Action, despite months of online commentary.
When the opportunity arrived to engage directly in public decision-making, the candidates who insist the city isn’t doing enough simply stayed home.
Leadership is about showing up. It’s easy to show up when discussions are straightforward, and the answers are simple. But real leadership requires showing up when discussions are tough, emotional and complicated.
This stark contrast illustrates precisely why Encinitas residents need to cast their votes to keep Mayor Bruce Ehlers and Councilmember Marco San Antonio in office — proven leaders who consistently do the work, face the hard issues and deliver real results for our community.
On Wednesday night, Mayor Bruce Ehlers, Councilmember Marco San Antonio and the rest of the sitting council showed up. We had the hard conversations, faced the uncomfortable aspects of the issue head-on and delivered a unified 5-0 vote to protect and inform our community.
If candidates stay home during an election year on an issue they claim is a top priority, what level of leadership can Encinitas expect from them after campaign season? Encinitas deserves leaders who stand up, engage in the tough discussions and show up when it matters most.
Jim O’Hara is a local business owner and Encinitas deputy mayor.
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