On the eve of talks between the United States, Mexico and Canada to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is encouraging policymakers to look at the "success story" the pact has created in his city.
"Free trade works," Faulconer told the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on Tuesday evening. "We’ve grown our exports in San Diego by $5 billion since NAFTA. Mexico is our biggest export partner from San Diego."
As mayor of the state's second-largest city -- and through sheer attrition of Republican officeholders -- Faulconer is seen as a leading figure in California's GOP. While once again declaring that he is not running for governor in 2018, as some have encouraged, Faulconer laid out his blueprint for the party's return to statewide relevance, which includes support for free trade policies.