By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO– Jewish candidates, noticeably Congressman Bob Filner in the San Diego mayoral race, came out on top in semi-official returns in local political races, but his contest it won’t be decided until after absentee and provisional ballots are counted.
With all 784 of the city’s precincts counted, Filner led City Councilman Carl DeMaio by 165,687 votes to 155,871 or 51.53 percent of the total votes cast to 48.47 percent. However, the Registrar of Voters office reported that throughout the county there remained approximately 475,000 absentee or provisional ballots remaining to be counted.
It was not reported in what areas those absentee or provisional ballots were cast, but the City of San Diego comprises approximately one-half the population of San Diego County.
Other Jewish candidates on San Diego’s ballot had far more comfortable margins. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein gained 61.5 percent of the statewide vote compared to 38.5 percent for Republican challenger Elizabeth Emken, according to the California Secretary of State’s office. In San Diego County, the margin was considerably closer, 53.22 percent for Feinstein and 46.78 percent for Emken.
In the 53rd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Susan A. Davis romped to victory with a 60.42 percent tally over Republican challenger Nick Popaditch in the semi official count.
Similarly, Democratic Assemblyman Marty Block rolled up a 57.45 percent victory in the 39th State Senatorial District contest against fellow Assemblyman George Plescia, a Republican.
In the non-partisan San Diego Community College race, District B, Bernie Rhinerson had 66.10 percent of the vote compared to Scott L. Hasson.
The Jewish candidates’ victories were part of a Democratic party tide that washed over San Diego County. In some other closely watched races among non-Jewish candidates, Democrat Scott Peters eked out a 50.17 percent victory in the semi-official returns over incumbent Republican congressman Brian Bilbray in the 52nd Congressional District, but as in the mayor’s race, absentee and provisional ballots could potentially change that result.
In the 51st Congressional District which Filner vacated to run for mayor, State Senator Juan Vargas crushed his opponent Michael Crimmins, 70.74 percent to 29.26 percent in the semi-official returns.
If the semi-official count holds up after the provisional and absentee ballots are counted in the 3rd supervisorial district , Dave Roberts will fill the supervisorial seat vacated by the retirement of Pam Slater-Price. He defeated Steve Danon. Although this is technically a non-partisan race, it is noteworthy that Roberts is a Democrat and Danon a Republican. The last time a Democrat served on the five-member Board of Supervisors was nineteen years ago as Leon Williams was retiring.
On the San Diego City Council, Sherry Lightner, another Democrat, retained her 1st District seat against a challenge by Republican Ray Ellis, with a margin of 54.18 percent to 45.82 percent. While the City Council too is non-partisan, Democrats now will have a 5-4 majority over the Republicans on that body. Among those Democrats is Marti Emerald, who won election last June in the new 9th City Council District.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com