In the wee hours of Tuesday the 10th there were still some 1,600 ballots to count in the hotly contested +/- $2 million fight for control of San Diego’s 2nd City Council District. The spread was 500 some odd votes, with Republican Kevin Faulconer in the lead, but with no concession from Bustamonte aide-de-camp Lorena Gonzalez. The last votes have now been counted and the tally is 15,038 Faulconer v. 14,316 Gonzalez, a 722 vote victory for the reformers. Gonzalez has conceded. So I guess its officially the first GOP victory of 2006 here in California.
However, because the 2nd council district was a special to fill the seat vacated by the ongoing city corruption scandals (more indictments last week), the seat will be open for election again in June. During the primary, Gonzalez indicated in writing that she would not run against whoever won the special, but her comments thereafter leave some doubt. However, Gonzalez does own a $1.2 million house in San Diego’s 7th council district, which is opening in 2008. She had just purchased the home when the 2nd district, where she rents, came open. Reliable rumors from deep in labor have it she had intended to run for the 7th in 2008, and was moving there for that purpose, but when the 2nd opened the labor council bosses put the strong-arm on her to continue to rent and run in the 2nd. Where she will decide to live now is anyone’s guess, but boy I’d hate to be paying such an expensive mortgage and not get the perk of living there.
P.S. Thought readers might enjoy some of the mail (disclosure Coronado Communications mail).