Early results in San Diego’s two City Council races show District 6 as tight as expected and District 8 with one candidate unexpectedly pulling away.
In District 6, Republican businesswoman Lorie Zapf leads Democratic former state Assemblyman Howard Wayne 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent with 12 percent of the ballots collected. The race could be a key pickup for local Republicans, who are trying to erase memories of a poor showing two years ago and take the district for the first time in more than 20 years.
Ground games for Republicans, Democrats and important interest groups spent much of the day in District 6, showing the race’s importance to the balance of power across the city.
In District 8, state senate staffer David Alvarez leads attorney Felipe Hueso 59.8 percent to 40.1 percent with 19 percent of the results in. Though both Alvarez and Hueso are Democrats, the race has been a bitter, personal affair and the city’s labor unions split their support. In the June primary, Alvarez led a nail biter early and built his lead throughout the night. Hueso, the older brother of current District 8 Councilman Ben Hueso, is hoping the opposite happens tonight.
Please contact Liam Dillon directly at liam.dillon@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.550.5663 and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/dillonliam.