VOEPEL LOSES SEAT TO WALDRON, JONES AND WEBER WIN REELECTION

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Marie Waldron has defeated Randy Voepel in the redrawn 75th Assembly district

November 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Redistricting pitted two incumbent Republican Assemblymembers against each other in the 75^th Assembly district.  Assemblyman Randy Voepel has been ousted by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, the Assembly Republican leader and former Escondido councilmember. Waldron received 66.76% of the votes tallied so far, while Voepel drew just 33.24%.

A staunch conservative and pro-life legislator, she is a member of the Mental Health Caucus and has served on the Assembly Health Committee.  A former member of the San Diego County Opoid Task Force, she now serves on the Stanford 5-Year Initiative on Neuroscience, a group fostering communications between policymakers on mental health, addiction and opioid drugs. She was honored as legislator of the year by both the California Life Sciences Association and the California Chronic Care Coalition.

In the 40^th State Senate district, Senator Brian Jones, a Republican, leads by nearly 11 points over challenger Joseph Rocha, a Democrat and military veteran. Jones has long won his Senate and before that, Assembly races by large margins, but redistricting resulted in a nearly even party registration balance. Democrats had poured money into the race for TV ads and other campaign messaging, but were unable to defeat Jones, a former Santee Councilman and Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus.

Assemblywoman Akilah Weber, M.D., a Democrat, medical doctor and former La Mesa Councilmember, is cruising to an easy victory over Republican Corbin Sabol in the 79^th Assembly District.

In other San Diego County state legislative races, the 74^th Assembly district race is too close to call;  Democrat Chris Duncan has a narrow lead of 50.73% over Laurie Davies, a Republican, with 49.27%.

The 76h Assembly district is also within a percentage point; Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane currently leads Democrat Brian Mainschein by a slim 50.37% to 49.53% lead.

Democrat Tasha Boerner Horvath leads with 58.21% over Republican Dan Downey at 41.79% in the 77^th Assembly District.

In the 78^th Assembly district, Democrat Chris Ward is handily defeating Eric Gonzales, a Republican, 65.16% to 34.84%.

David Alvarez has a crushing 71.81% to 28.19% lead over Georgette Gomez in the 80^th Assembly district; both are former San Diego City Councilmembers.

Steve Padilla, a Democrat, is winning the 18^th State Senate district race 58.87% over Republican Alejandro Galicia, who has 41.13%.

Two local races span multiple counties. Of the San Diego portion listed on the San Diego Registrar of Voters website, Republican Kelly Seyarto is leading Democrat Brian Nash 55.46% to 44.54% in the 32^nd State Senate District, while Democrat Catherine Blakespear leads Republican Matt Gunderson 54.5% to 45.5% in the 38^th State Senate District.