Incumbents Lead In San Diego County State Legislative Contests

SAN DIEGO, CA — Incumbents were generally ahead Wednesday in state Senate and Assembly seats decided by San Diego County voters, while a Democrat led in one open Senate race.

In the 18th Senate District, which covers San Diego County's South Bay region, as well as portions of Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, Democratic incumbent Steve Padilla was ahead with 66.8% of the vote over Republican Art Hodges, who had 33.2%. Padilla received 93,252 votes, while Hodges earned 46,364.

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Padilla took nearly 64% of the vote in June's primary election against Hodges, who was his sole opponent.

Padilla, a former Chula Vista mayor, is seeking a second term in the state Senate. Among his priorities are addressing the Tijuana River Valley cross-border pollution crisis and cost-of-living concerns through job-growth initiatives, expanding housing, and shielding residents from electricity costs he says are driven by data centers.

Hodges, a Pentecostal bishop and Chula Vista resident, similarly notes the Tijuana sewage crisis and affordability as key issues, while also identifying the protection of parental rights regarding "religious freedom and moral beliefs" as an important focus, according to his campaign website.

In the 32nd Senate District, which encompasses Julian and other backcountry areas of San Diego County, along with portions of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, Republican incumbent Kelly Seyarto led Democratic challenger Tiffanie Tate, 53.1% to 46.9%, as of early Wednesday. Seyarto won 85,345 votes, while Tate had 75,372 votes.

Seyarto received just over 58% of the vote in the June primary election.

Seyarto, who is seeking his second Senate term, previously served in the state Assembly and as mayor of Murrieta, and is a retired firefighter. His key priorities include combating cost-of-living issues that he says are driven by overregulation and ensuring affordable healthcare access.

Tate, a medical doctor and U.S. Navy veteran, similarly said the high cost of living and healthcare access were among her main concerns. She said she would address them in part by increasing funding for safety-net programs like CalWORKs and SNAP, as well as expanding Medi-Cal eligibility.

In the 38th Senate District, which spans Mission Bay north through North County and into southern Orange County, Democratic incumbent Catherine Blakespear led Republican Laura Bassett, 55.8% to 44.2%. Blakespear had 149,821 votes, compared to Bassett's 118,608.

Blakespear received nearly 55% of the vote in the June primary election.

Blakespear, who previously served as Encinitas' mayor, said she would address the affordability crisis by expanding healthcare access, supporting small businesses, and increasing affordable housing, according to her campaign website. She also said she seeks to combat homelessness by increasing housing supply and shelter availability, as well as investing in resources for individuals suffering from mental illness and addiction.

Bassett, a licensed professional fiduciary and Oceanside resident, said increased taxes and regulations have contributed to the high cost of living and that she would combat it by working to lower everyday costs and halting new taxes, her campaign site states. Her priorities also include reducing what she characterizes as wasteful state government spending and addressing coastal erosion and other environmental issues affecting beach communities.

In the 40th Senate District race, Democrat Mara Elliott led Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane early Wednesday, 52.1% to 47.9%. Elliott had 121,127 votes, while Bruce-Lane garnered 111,305.

The 40th Senate District covers a wide portion of San Diego, including University City, Miramar, Sorrento Valley, and Mira Mesa, as well as East County past Mount Laguna and North County up to Rainbow. It was previously represented by Republican Brian Jones.

Elliott took nearly 48% of the June primary vote, while Bruce-Lane narrowly advanced to the November election over another Republican, Ed Musgrove.

Elliott, the former San Diego City Attorney, says she would tackle affordability issues by expanding housing access, improving healthcare access, and lowering the cost of living "by standing up to those driving up the cost of healthcare, housing, higher education, and everyday essentials," her campaign website states. Calling on her prosecutorial background, she also says she prioritizes public safety issues, such as preventing gun violence, protecting crime victims, and ensuring those suffering from drug addiction or mental health issues obtain treatment.

Bruce-Lane, a businesswoman who previously ran for the state Assembly in 2024, says she would address cost-of-living issues by opposing tax hikes, regulations she says impede new housing development, and wasteful spending by state government officials.

In the 74th Assembly District -- spanning North County into southern Orange County -- Republican incumbent Laurie Davies was ahead of Democrat Sergio Farias, 50.3% to 49.7%. Davies' vote tally was 66,637, while Farias earned 65,940.

Davies, who is seeking her fourth Assembly term, received 52.3% of the vote in the June primary election.

Davies said she would tackle cost-of-living issues by opposing "unaffordable and unfair middle-class taxes," according to her campaign website. She also said she would work to preserve the district's natural spaces and move nuclear waste housed at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Farias, a San Juan Capistrano City Council member, said the cost of living was also his key issue, particularly housing affordability, which he said he would address by making the homebuilding process more efficient. He touted increases in affordable housing and reductions in homelessness during his time on the San Juan Capistrano City Council.

In the 75th Assembly District, encompassing Poway, Santee, and Fallbrook, among other portions of North and East County, Republican Carl DeMaio was ahead of Democrat Gerald Boursiquot, 56.1% to 43.9%. DeMaio had won 71,753 votes, compared with Boursiquot's 56,127.

DeMaio, who took nearly 60% of the vote in June's primary election, founded the conservative political action committee Reform California, previously served on the San Diego City Council, and has made several prior runs for public office. He said he would combat cost-of-living increases by opposing new tax hikes, regulations, and what he described as wasteful spending by state government officials.

Boursiquot, a military veteran and Fallbrook resident, said he would introduce legislation to expand healthcare access to all district residents, streamline affordable housing projects, and bring cost-effective public transportation to the district's rural areas.

In the 76th Assembly District, which stretches from Rancho Peñasquitos north into San Marcos and Escondido, Democratic incumbent Darshana Patel led Republican challenger Carrie Espinoza Villanueva, 58.2% to 41.8%. Patel had 65,176 votes, while Villanueva had 46,876.

Patel, a research scientist and former Poway Unified School District board member, received nearly 56% of the vote in the June primary. She said her priorities include wildfire protection for district residents, expanding healthcare access, and driving down housing costs. Patel also highlighted public safety legislation she authored during her term aimed at preventing mass shooting incidents and threats to schools and places of worship.

Villanueva, a businesswoman who says on her website that she "knows firsthand how California's taxes and regulations crush small businesses, workers, and families," lists her priorities as lowering the cost of living by "cutting taxes and unnecessary regulations."

In the 77th Assembly District, covering coastal areas stretching from the border north through Carlsbad, incumbent Democrat Tasha Boerner had 62.8% of the vote to Republican Trinity Hannaway's 37.2%. Boerner won 86,928 votes, while Hannaway earned 51,408.

Boerner, who is seeking a fifth term in the state Assembly, took over 61% of the vote in the primary election. She said that during her tenure, she has authored legislation to lower utility costs, require internet companies to offer affordable home internet service for low-income residents, and expand housing supply.

Hannaway is the executive director of the conservative political action committee Reform California.

In the 78th Assembly District, which covers a wide area of central San Diego and east into El Cajon, Democratic incumbent Chris Ward held 70% of the vote, while Republican Payton Galvez had 30%. Ward's vote tally was 82,736, and Galvez had 35,397.

Ward, who took over 68% of the vote in the June primary, says if reelected he will focus on tackling homelessness through supportive housing, addressing the Tijuana River sewage crisis, and supporting job growth.

In the 79th Assembly District, spanning East County and southeastern San Diego, Democratic incumbent LaShae Sharp-Collins led Republican Andrew Lawson, 66.3% to 33.7%. Sharp-Collins won 52,723 votes, while Lawson won 26,828.

Sharp-Collins, who is seeking her second term, took nearly 65% of the vote in the June primary. She said she would combat the rising cost of living by increasing the supply of affordable housing and public transportation opportunities.

Lawson, an accountant and Spring Valley resident, said he would support more homebuilding by streamlining the housing permit process and incentivizing builders, according to his campaign website. He also said he would oppose new taxes that he said drive up the cost of living.

In the 80th Assembly District, covering southern San Diego County, incumbent Democrat David Alvarez won 67.7% of the vote, while Republican Alejandro Galicia won 32.3%. Alvarez's vote tally was 58,539, while Galicia had 27,988 votes.

Alvarez took nearly 60% of the vote in the June primary.

Alvarez, who is seeking a third term in the Assembly, said the Tijuana River cross-border pollution crisis was one of his top priorities, as well as the escalating cost of living, which he said he would address through legislation to expand affordable housing opportunities.

Galicia is a small-business owner and Chula Vista resident.

— City News Service