Bailey Ahead In San Diego City Council Race, While Foster Trails Abraham

SAN DIEGO, CA — Former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey held a commanding lead Wednesday in the race for San Diego City Council's open District 2 seat, while incumbent Councilman Henry Foster III trailed challenger Martha Abraham in the contest for the District 4 post.

District 6 incumbent Kent Lee also led his reelection bid, while Antonio Martinez paced the field in the race for the open District 8 seat.

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With votes still being counted, Bailey was ahead after receiving 9,154 votes, or 38.8%, followed by Nicole Crosby with 7,386 votes, or 31.3%, and Josh Coyne with 2,667 votes, or 11.3%.

Mandy Havlick was fourth at 10.5%, followed by Mike Rickey at 4.1%. Jacob Mitchell was at 1.9%, while Paul Suppa had 1.8%. A write-in candidate received 0.3%.

District 2 is represented by Councilwoman Jennifer Campbell and District 8 by Councilwoman Vivian Moreno, both of whom are termed out.

Foster, first elected in 2024 to replace Monica Montgomery Steppe -- who won a special county supervisor election in 2023 -- was trailing Abraham, who garnered 40.2% of the vote on Tuesday, versus Foster's 38.6%. Johnny Lee Dang was in third place with 20.5%, with a write-in receiving 0.8%.

In the District 6 race, Lee -- first elected in 2022 -- was well ahead with 55%, while challenger Mark Powell received 44.6% and a write-in taking 0.4%.

Antonio Martinez was ahead of three other contenders for the District 8 seat, at 29.1%, according to county voting results.

Candidate Gerardo Ramirez was in second at 23.7%, followed by Venus Molina at 21.3%, Rafael Perez at 17.4% and a write-in candidate getting 8.5% of the vote.

In other municipalities, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann took a firm lead at 60.3%, while challenger Francisco Tamayo was in second place with 35.6%, while Yair Gerstein garnered 4%.

Carolina Chavez, Chula Vista City Council member for District 1, was in first place with 41.9%, followed by Greg Martinez with 25.3%, Joy Emmanuel at 17%, Sergio Vargas at 8.1%, Chuck Sanfilippo at 7.4% and a write-in at 0.3%.

In the District 2 Chula Vista City Council race, incumbent Jose Preciado was in the lead at 45.5%, followed by Angelica S. Martinez at 28.1%, Russ Hall at 14.9%, Jesse Navarro at 11.1% and a write-in at 0.4%.

In Poway's one City Council race, Anita Edmondson -- who previously served for one year on the council, from 2023-24 -- took the lead with 55.1%, followed by Vanessa Springett at 44.8% and a write-in at 0.1%.

— City News Service