SAN DIEGO — Early returns in local races in San Diego indicated Tuesday night that among 10 Jewish candidates, 4 were successful and 6 were unsuccessful.
Apparent winners with 58.4 percent of all ballots counted showed Sara Jacobs winning handily in the 53rd Congressional District; Bernie Rhinerson easily winning reelection to the San Diego Community College Board; Terra Lawson-Remer defeating Republican incumbent Kristin Gaspar in the 3rd County Supervisorial District, and Sean Elo-Rivera defeating Kelvin Barrios for the 9th District San Diego City Council seat. All these winners are Democrats.
Lawson-Remer’s election resulted in the 5-member County Board of Supervisors flipping from Republican party control to Democratic party control.
Assuming the percentages don’t change when the final tally is recorded, defeated candidates included Kate Schwartz, a Democrat, who challenged Republican incumbent Marie Waldron for the 75th Assembly District; Sarah Davis who was bested by fellow Democrat Chris Ward for the 78th Assembly District; incumbent County School Board member Mark Powell, who lost to challenger Gregg Robinson; San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry who lost in the San Diego mayoral race to Assemblyman Todd Gloria; attorney Cory Briggs who was defeated in his challenge to incumbent City Attorney Mara Elliott, and 5th District San Diego City Council hopeful Joe Leventhal who was defeated by Marni von Wilpert.
San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez, who trailed Sara Jacobs by a margin of 140,754 to 97,250, issued a concession statement that said, “As votes here in San Diego continue being counted, the results of the election do not seem to be what we all hoped for. I have called Sara Jacobs to congratulate her and I stand ready to work with her to advance just policies that will benefit working families and ensure that our recovery from this pandemic leaves no one behind. And while we did not win this one, I will never give up the fight for equality and justice and a sustainable planet. Tonight’s results do not define my commitment to building a more just society, I will continue to do the work along with you all.”
Claiming victory over Cory Briggs, Mara Elliott commented, ‘I’m humbled and grateful that the people of San Diego have placed their trust in me to fight for them for another term. My most urgent priorities are continuing to protect public health as we work together to get through the pandemic, and cleaning up the 101 Ash Street mess that I inherited. And I’ll never stop standing up against special interests to protect San Diego’s families, taxpayers and the environment.”
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com