The special election to replace Murphy attracted a crowded field of eleven official candidates on the ballot.
Donna Frye, a member of the
San Diego City Council who had almost beaten Murphy with a write-in campaign in the 2004 election, was the only democrat among the top-tier candidates. Former police chief
Jerry Sanders ran on a platform of executive experience, having successfully turned around the financial situations of the local chapters of the Red Cross and United Way since retiring as police chief.
Steve Francis, founder and chairman of AMN Healthcare Services emphasized downsizing city government and implementing business principles. Francis outspent his rivals in the campaign, putting nearly $2 million of his own money into his campaign. Lawyer Pat Shea ran on a platform that San Diego should declare bankruptcy to deal with the pension scandal, a position that the other front runners disagreed with. Frye won the plurality of votes in the July primary and advanced to the general election along with runner-up Sanders. However, Sanders and third-place finisher Francis, both republicans, combined for a majority of votes cast in the primary. After conceding the primary election, Francis endorsed Sanders for the general election. Sanders was elected mayor with a majority of the votes in the November general election. ==Primary election==