Politics & Government

Councilman, Businessman to Meet in Runoff for Long Beach Mayor

The runoff is scheduled for June 3.

Councilman Robert Garcia and real estate investor Damon Dunn will meet in a June 3 runoff to determine who will be Long Beach's next mayor.

Garcia led the field of 10 candidates in Tuesday's election with 25.4 percent of the vote, with all 268 precincts counted, according to figures released today by the Long Beach City Clerk's Office. Dunn, the Republican 2010 nominee for secretary of state and former NFL and XFL receiver, was second at 22.3 percent.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, was third with 19.6 percent followed by Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske at 15.5 percent.

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Long Beach City College trustee Doug Otto at 13.6 percent was the only other candidate with more than 3 percent.

Because no candidate received a majority, a runoff will be held.

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Turnout was 14.2 percent.

Garcia was endorsed by outgoing Mayor Bob Foster, who opted against seeking re-election. Lowenthal was endorsed by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

A win by Garcia would give Long Beach its first openly gay mayor.

--City News Service

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