Dear Community,
Elections are a stage for the people’s voice and we thank you for bringing the Muslim voice to life at the polls! We’re following the election with you; this newsletter includes results as they roll in and highlights key races in your region.
These are the first elections after census redistricting efforts, which bore witness to significant swing district races as well as a historic number of Muslim candidates. These results will impact the nation’s political landscape over the next two years and provide increased representation of the Muslim community at all levels of government.
Please contact the CAIR-SD office at info@sandiego.cair.com or (858) 278-4547 if you have any questions or would like to get involved with our various civic engagement efforts.
State Senate
District 36- Kim Carr (D) vs. Janet Nguyen (R)
Includes Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and parts of Cypress, Garden Grove, and Westminster.
Background: This election determines Senator Patricia Bates’ (R) replacement as her office term limits have come to an end after an 8-year tenure with the California State Senate. Kim Carr serves as a Councilmember with the Huntington Beach City Council and Janet Nguyen serves as Assemblymember of District 72 with the California State Assembly.
Results: Jane Nguyen (R).
District 38- Catherine Blakespear (D) vs. Matt Gunderson (R)
Includes parts of San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Oceanside.
Background: Catherine Blakespear serves as Mayor of Encinitas and Matt Gunderson is the owner of GSM Auto Group.
Preliminary results: Catherine Blakespear (D) leads Matt Gunderson 52% to 48% with approximately 86% of votes counted.
District 40- Brian Jones (R) vs. Joseph Rocha (D)
Includes Escondido, Valley Center, Poway, Ramona, Alpine.
Background: This election determines Senator Ben Hueso’s (D) replacement as his office term limits have come to an end after a 9-year tenure with the California State Senate. Brian Jones serves as Senator of District 38 with the California State Senate and Joseph Rocha serves as an attorney and is a Navy/Marine Corps veteran.
Preliminary results: Brian Jones (R) leads Joseph Rocha (D) 54% to 46% with an approximate 93% of votes counted.
State Assembly
District 74- Chris Duncan (D) vs. Laurie Davies (R)
Includes parts of San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Vista, Oceanside.
Background: Chris Duncan serves as an attorney with Homeland Security and Laurie Davies serves as the Mayor of Laguna Niguel.
Preliminary results: Laurie Davies (R) leads Chris Duncan (D) 53% to 47% with an approximate 83% of votes counted.
District 78- Chris Ward (D) vs. Eric Gonzales (R)
Includes San Diego County.
Background: Assemblymember Chris Ward serves as the incumbent assemblymember seeking re-election and Eric Gonzales is a retired Navy veteran.
Results: Chris Ward (D).
District 79- Akilah Weber (D) vs. Corbin Sabol (R)
Includes Lemon Grove, La Presa, Spring Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon.
Background: Assemblymember Akilah Weber serves as the incumbent assemblymember seeking re-election and Corbin Sabol is a Project Manager at Northrop Grumman, an aerospace and defense contractor.
Results: Akilah Weber (D).
San Diego County District Attorney
Summer Stephan
Background: Summer Stephan ran unopposed in the 2022 midterm election for San Diego County District Attorney and will automatically obtain a second, four-year term. Stephan served as a San Diego County Deputy District Attorney for 28 years and was appointed District Attorney in 2017.
Results: Summer Stephan.
San Diego County Treasurer- Tax Collector
Dan McAllister vs. Greg Hodsevich
Background: Dan McAllister has served as the incumbent since 2002 and Greg Hodsevich serves as the Chief Financial Officer of a defense and aerospace company.
Results: Dan McAllister.
San Diego County Sheriff
Kelly Martinez vs. John Hemmerling
Background: This election determines the replacement of former Sheriff William Gore who is retiring after a 12-year tenure as County Sheriff. Kelly Martinez served as a 30-year sheriff with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and former Assistant City Attorney and John Hemmerling served as a law enforcement officer.
Results: Kelly Martinez.
San Diego County Assessor
Jordan Marks vs. Barbara Bry
Background: Jordan Marks serves as the Chief Deputy Assessor for the San Diego County Assessor and Barbara Bry served as a Councilmember with the San Diego City Council.
Preliminary results: Jordan Marks leads Barbara Bry 51.8% to 48.2%.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
District 4- Nathan Fletcher vs. Amy Reichert
Background: Nathan Fletcher serves as the incumbent Supervisor since 2019 and Amy Reichert is a small business owner and a state-licensed private investigator.
Preliminary results: Nathan Fletcher leads Amy Reichert 64.3% to 35.7%.
District 5- Jim Desmond vs. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson
Background: Jim Desmond serves as the incumbent Supervisor since 2018 and is the former Mayor of San Marcos. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson serves as the Director of the Vallecitos Water District and neuroscientist.
Preliminary results: Jim Desmond leads Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson 60.6% to 39.4%.
San Diego County Board of Education
District 3- Alicia Munoz vs. Marvin Attiq
Background: Alicia Munoz serves as the incumbent board member for the San Diego Board of Education and president of the Academic Senate. Marvin Attiq is a manufacturer and founder of Gerdology and The Bottle Haus.
Preliminary results: Alicia Munoz leads Marvin Attiq 65.8% to 34.2%.
District 5- Rick Shea vs. Emily Ortiz Wichmann
Background: Rick Shea serves as the incumbent board member for the San Diego Board of Education and Emily Ortiz Wichmann served as a former member of the Oceanside Unified Board of Education.
Preliminary results: Rick Shea leads Emily Ortiz Wichmann 57.7% to 42.3%.
The nationwide midterm elections saw a record breaking 145 American Muslim candidates running for office this year! You can find more information in this CAIR National press release.
Sincerely,
Nazeehah Khan
CAIR-CA Policy & Government Affairs Manager
As a note, CAIR-CA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization and cannot advocate for specific candidates for office or party preference. However, CAIR-CA can encourage American Muslims to engage in the election process, conduct voter registration training programs, issue briefings, host candidate forums, educate the community on issues, take positions on legislation, and lead get-out-the-vote drives. CAIR-CA also issues Voter Guides for state and local elections, and both are made available on your local CAIR office’s website. made available on your local CAIR office’s website.