Borrego Sun - Since 1949

The 2024 Primary Election was underway and it was surely filled with a whirlwind of tense emotions – with numerous debates, advertisements, and campaigning.

Tensions rose among the country, and the state as the counting of ballots stretched over a few days. But with Super Tuesday in the books, it will be a very familiar Presidential Election in November, with the long-awaited rematch of current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Both candidates led their parties in the state.

Sixteen states and one territory had a caucus or primary election on March 5, including California – the nation’s most populous state and the biggest electoral prize in November.

Results are never final until the Secretary of State compiles statewide results and all counties have reported an official canvass of the vote. Counties have 30 days to complete that canvass.

U.S. Senator

Voters were also asked this Primary Election to choose a new U.S. Senator to replace the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, who held the position since 1992, leaving voters to decide an open seat for the first time in decades. While several candidates appeared on the ballot in two separate U.S. Senate races, one that would choose who would fill Feinstein’s seat in the short-term starting in Nov. 2024, and a second race that would choose who would become California’s next senator to serve a six-year term after being sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025.

It came down to two candidates, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and former MLB player Steve Garvey.

For San Diego voters, they favored Steve Garvey, who led Adam Schiff 38% to 29%, with Katie Porter in third place at 14%.

Far fewer candidates competed for the short-term senate seat, which will be decided in the November 2024 General Election and fill the seat for only a few short months before the newly elected full-term senator is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025.

The short-term senator will fill the seat currently filled by Laphonza Butler, who was appointed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom following Senator Feinstein’s death. Garvey and Schiff will face-off in November for this seat, too.

The matchup also means that California won’t have a woman in the Senate for the first time in more than three decades.

U.S. House of Representatives (District 48)

In San Diego County, the redistricting map moved Borrego Springs out of the state’s 50th Congressional District to the 48th Congressional District.

The district encompasses several central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a small part of Riverside County. This area includes Julian, Ramona, Borrego Springs, Poway, Temecula, Campo, Mount Laguna, Warner Springs, and Pala.

In the running for the 48th District was Darrell Issa (R), Stephen Houlahan (D), Whitney Shanahan (D), Mike Simon (D), Matthew Rascon (D) and Lucinda Jahn (Independent). Issa and Houlahan received the top two votes once again and will face off in the November election.

Issa received nearly 63% of the votes, with a solid lead over Houlahan with just 15%. The two faced off back in the Congressional Election in 2022, where Issa had the upperhand.

75th State Assembly District

Six candidates were in the running for the 75th Assembly District. Early results showed that Carl DeMaio was ahead of the votes, while it seemed fellow Republican candidate Andrew Hayes would emerge as the frontrunner in the heavily red district, Democrat Kevin Juza has taken the second place spot with 19% of the vote, compared with Hayes’ 16%, early votes show.

Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, R-Valley Center, who currently holds the seat, is barred from running for re-election because of term limits.

DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member, has frequently sought political office but has been unsuccessful in past campaigns for Congress and San Diego mayor.

Hayes, president of the Lakeside Union School District Board of Trustees, received Waldron’s endorsement as well as that of the San Diego County Republican Party, among others.

Democrat and teacher Christie Dougherty, retired government employee Joy Frew and Republican Jack Fernandes, a biotech entrepreneur, have fallen behind in early voting.

Prop 1

Proposition 1 is a quite controversial ballot, which promises to build more mental health treatment facilities across the state and further address the homeless crisis. This was the only statewide proposition on the March ballot, a Yes vote on Prop 1 would authorize the state government to borrow and spend $6.4 billion in bonds to expand the state’s homeless housing and mental health infrastructure. But it comes give a huge price tag, which critics believe would balloon even more down the road. Supporters argue the spending is vital to addressing a crisis of homelessness, mental health and addiction in California. The money would be used to expand mental health and addiction services, building permanent supportive housing and help homeless veterans.

The final bill would end up costing Californians more than $12 billion, according to some critic’s estimates, and take decades for the state to pay back. Opponents also claim Prop 1 would take funding that’s supposed to support Prop 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) passed by voters in 2004. Proposition 1 also would authorize the state to borrow $6.38 billion to build 4,350 housing units, half of which would be reserved for veterans, and add 6,800 mental health and addiction treatment beds.

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom says the proposition is needed to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis by boosting investments in housing and substance use programs, but social providers worry it would threaten programs that are keeping people from becoming homeless in the first place.

The proposition is touted as the final piece in Governor Newsom’s plan to reform California’s mental health system. He has already pushed for laws that make it easier to force people with behavioral health issues into treatment.

Results have not been finalized, but as of print time, the state voted in favor of the ballot with 50.3% yes and 49.7% no.

*Please note: Results printed in this issue of the Primary Election are as of print time, March 11.

For more information on election results, visit https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/