Former homosexual runs for San Diego Council seat long held by ‘gay activists’

By World Net Daily Contributing Columnist

James L. Lambert - June 10, 2007

James Hartline, a self professed ‘Christian activist’, has announced he is running for the City council seat in San Diego’s third district. The seat comes open after current council member (Toni Atkin’s) term expires in 2008. (City council members in San Diego, CA. are limited, by law, to 2 terms in office.)

Hartline is a former homosexual who underwent a dramatic religious conversion seven years ago. He has turned from a life of drugs and reckless sexual encounters which he now totally rejects. Hartline says that unfortunately that type of reckless lifestyle is being “replayed over and over again in gay communities and their sex clubs throughout America.”

Mr. Hartline has been on the forefront of many local battles in an effort to inform the public of the dangers of the gay lifestyle. His dramatic conversion has been told in both secular and religious media outlets around the country, including the Family Channel’s ‘700 club.’
The Third District (where Hartline is running) includes Burlingame, City Heights, Hillcrest, Kensington, Mid-City, North Park, South Park, University Heights, Golden Hill and all of Balboa Park. It’s well known that the Hill-crest community has a large gay population. The last two City Council members from District 3 are both well-known lesbian politicians.

Hartline recognizes that his campaign will face stiff competition from a strong gay lobby in the District. Both prior lesbian council members (Kuehl and Atkins) are both registered Democrats. Hartline will be running as a Republican in the primary which takes place next June (2008).
According to a statement released by Hartline, he is “entering the race to change the politics as usual treadmill that is drowning out the will of the people in not only the district but the city of San Diego as well.” Hartline is forming a campaign team that will includes legislative analyst Beverly Wyer, attorney Robert Sutton and financial investor Chuck Stout.

James Hartline's announcement has caused quite a stir in the local gay media. The Gay and Lesbian Times has expressed its concern about Hartline’s run for an office that traditionally has been held by local gay activists. Hartline was responsible for informing the public of several registered pedophiles who were actively involved with the annual gay parade. He worked with the City Attorney’s office to alert them of blatant sexual activity in a local gay bathhouse. That bathhouse has since closed its doors this April.

Hartline has also informed the public of several local porn/adult book store operations that were particularly close to churches and schools (making their location questionable because of local zoning regulations). He was also featured in a March 2007 World Net Daily story that reported on a middle school children’s involvement in the local gay pride parade held each year in the city. Additionally, Hartline has helped draw public attention to preserving a local religious landmark that was in danger of being removed by a local atheist. Conservatives speculate that it’s no wonder why liberal elements in the city are alarmed to hear that Mr. Hartline is running for public office.

James L. Lambert, host of San Diego's most popular Christian Televison Talk Show, Night Lights, is also a nationally recognized writer for World Net Daily, American Family Association's One News Now, as well as a co-founder of California Christian News.