Trans-identified male mayor in California faces recall vote amid rampant crime, blames transphobic 'bullies'

The mayor of Calexico, California is facing a recall vote and blaming it on transphobic "bullies," as the city is facing rampant crime and homelessness.   

Raúl Ureña, 26, was elected to be mayor of border town Calexico, California, winning 70 percent of the vote in 2020 and started identifying as transgender in 2022 after a reelection, according to the New York Post.   

The mayor accepts "all the pronouns" but has a preference for "she." After changing dress styles after the decision, the mayor still shows off a hairy chest.   

“Sexy as hell” are the words the mayor has used to describe the look.   

Amid the decision to start gender bending while in office, crime and homelessness rose to high levels. Since the recall vote effort, the mayor has blamed it on "tried and tested, predictable transphobia."  

“I might even be more vulnerable if I'm not in an elected position where people have elected me to represent a lot of people who don't identify as LGBT,” the mayor told the Daily Mail.   

“My parents wanted me to keep it to myself because they were worried about my safety. My dad was not very happy with me being public about my sexual orientation,” Ureña added.  

Former Mayor Maritz Hurtado is leading a campaign to oust Ureña and says supporters just want to hold the mayor accountable for the poor crime and homelessness problems in the city.   

“We’re losing business because people do not want to come here because it’s disgusting,” Hurtado said to the LA Times.