Gore Wins 4th District Supervisor Seat; Petaluma's Mayor Race Is Tight

James Gore, a former official in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, defeated five-term Windsor Town Councilwoman Deb Fudge for the 4th District seat on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, according to unofficial election results early this morning.

Gore 36, was running nearly 20 percentage points ahead of Fudge in the initial results from Tuesday’s election.

He had support from business and agriculture, and Fudge, 58, was backed by unions and environmentalists.

The 4th District includes parts of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Windsor in northern Sonoma County.

It was Fudge’s third try for the seat now held by Mike McGuire, who appears to have been elected to the 2nd District state Senate seat with 73 percent of the vote.

Former newspaper columnist Chris Coursey was elected to one of three seats on the Santa Rosa City Council with nearly 20 percent of the vote. Former Santa Rosa police Chief Tom Schwedhelm and former Santa Rosa City Councilman John Sawyer also were elected with 15 percent of the vote. Ashle Crocker, a planning commissioner, was trailing with 14 percent. Nine candidates were running for the three seats.

The race between Petaluma City Councilman Mike Harris and Mayor David Glass in that city’s mayoral contest was too close to call.

Harris was leading Glass by 211 votes, according to unofficial results early this morning.

It was a good night for incumbent council members in the county.

A dozen incumbents were returned to office in Cloverdale, Cotati, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol and Windsor.

Only 45 percent of the county’s registered voters cast ballots, according to election returns as of 1 a.m.

Related election coverage:

Sonoma County Voters Reject Library Tax

Unofficial Election Results For Sonoma County Measures

Unofficial Results For Sonoma County Candidates

--Bay City News

--Image via Shutterstock