By Paul Kruze

November 5, 2014 (Sacramento)--Tuesday night was not a happy one for Democrats. A red wave of Republican wins resulted in the party increased its hold on the House of Representatives and gained formidable control of U.S. Senate. But as a consolation prize, Democrats were able to keep California in the “blue state” column by keeping a firm hold on the state’s highest offices.

Early on in the vote counting, major news organizations projected that voters had granted Governor Jerry Brown a second consecutive four-year term  (the fourth in his political political career)  by a comfortable margin which did not change throughout the evening.  Incumbent Democrat Gavin Newsom was able to stave off a challenge by East County resident and former chairman of the California Republican Party, Ron Nehring.

East County News Service

November 5, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- The biggest political upset in East County this electionappears to have taken place in the San Miguel Fire District, where a slate of challengers has won three seats on the board, ousting incumbents.

On top with 100% of precincts counted Mike Vacio, Jim Ek and Theresa McKenna with 20.16%, 18.25% and 16.26% of the vote.

Photo: Mayor Bill Wells celebrates victory with suporters; photo by Randy Jordan, R. Jordan Photgraphy

By Miriam Raftery and Janis Russell

November 5, 2014 (El Cajon) -- Mayor Bill Wells thumped two opponents to win 81.6% of the vote, winning reelection handily over Allen Theweny and Jonathan Wright.  Councilman Gary Kendrick took over two-thirds of the vote (64.14%) over his opponent, Elwood Alexander.

The incumbents had the benefit of an improving economy and new policies such as the city's outreach to car dealers to bring more revenues to El Cajon, a city with the county's highest poverty rate.  El Cajon's leaders have also had success in healing relations with the city's large Iraqi Chaldean population, with Mayor Wells speaking out publicly in support of bringing persecuted Christian Chaldean refugees to El Cajon.

Photo, left: Baber and McWhirter's victory party at Tiramisu Trattoria in La Mesa

Republicans, developer-backed candidates in Council race

Updated November 5, 2014 (La Mesa) - Mayor Art Madrid, who has led La Mesa for the past 24 years, has been unseated by Councilman and teacher Mark Arapostathis.  With 100% of precincts counted, Arapostathis has received 58.8% of the vote to Madrid's 41.11%.

Updated November 5, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- With 100% of votes counted, incumbents Robert Shield and Jim Kelly won reelection on the Grossmont Union High School District Board with 24.31 and 22.58 % of the vote respectively. Dr. Gary Woods, who lost his seat in the last election and consistently voted in a block with Kelly and Shield, is in third place with 22.2%,  beat by a substantial margin over challengers Shirley Anderson (14.39%), Barbara Stevens (11.39%) and Steve Mattia (5.12%).  Woods will fill the vacant seat left by Dick Hoy', who did not seek reelection.

The election outcome will solidify control of the GUHSD board by staunch conservative members opposed to building an Alpine High School or backing Alpine parents' wishes to split up the district and unify with the Alpine Union School District.  The district is currently embroiled in two lawsuits over its obstructionism on turning over funds from two bond measures into an escrow account to assure funds intended by voters for building a high school will be used for that purpose. 

East County News Service

November 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)— East County Magazine has compiled this handy guide for you with links to all of our coverage of local races, as well as some statewide and federal (Congressional) races on your ballot for the election on Tuesday, November 4. 

We invited all candidates running in local races listed below to be interviewed, and include print and/or  radio interviews with those who responded.   We also have links to our coverage of debates, candidate forums, analysis, editorials submitted by our readers (ECM does not editorialize), and other relevant information on candidates and ballot propositions. Also see below for links to additional nonpartisan resources for info on these and other races.

Our nonpartisan guide is arranged in three sections: local, state, and federal (Congressional) races, with  the races alphabetical under each section. To view, click "read more" below and scroll down.

Photos: Keshav Damoor, left, and Rob McNelis, right

November 3, 2014 (Santee) – Last week, East County Magazine sat down with Councilman Rob McNelis, a realtor who is proud of the city's achievements on his watch, and challenger Keshav Damoor, a UCSD graduate who works with nonprofits on poverty issues and seeks to represent a new generation on the Council. 

The candidates shared their views on smart growth for Santee and the future of the community.  Will there be a theater complex and entertainment center in Santee's future?  What about Fanita Ranch?  Listen to our interviews now:

Keshav Damoor: http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/mvfi330sul/Newsmaker-KeshavDamoor-SanteeCouncilx.mp3

Rob McNelis: http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/ib0vuopj8h/Newsmaker-RobMcNellis-final-x.mp3

For our previous coverage of these and other candidates in this race, click "read more" and scroll down.

View flyer here.

East County News Service

October 31, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – A flyer that landed in mailboxes just in time for Halloween features images of a haunted house and a cemetery-–along wtih a message urging recipients to “Look inside…At the scary report on the Grossmont Union High School District Board Members Jim Kelly and Robert Shield,  IF YOU DARE…” 

The flyer supports challengers Shirley Anderson and Barbara Stevens in the election, which has six candidates running including incumbents Kelly and Shield.  The mailer was paid for as an independent expenditure by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

East County News Service

October 31, 2014 (La Mesa)—Guy McWhirter cancelled his radio interview last week, stating that he needed to assist his daughter, who is expecting a baby soon.  He asked for questions to respond to in writing. 

You can hear the radio interviews with the other four candidates, and read highlights from their interviews here: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/la-mesa-candidates-air-depth-views-interviews-east-county-magazine

For McWhirter’s written responses to our questions, click “read more” and scroll down.

Photo (top left to lower right): Howard Cook, Jerry Jones, Jennifer Mendoza, and Stephen Browne

By Jordan Schaffner

October 31, 2014 (Lemon Grove)—Five candidates are in the running for the Lemon Grove City Council: incumbents Howard Cook and Jerry Jones, along with challengers  Anna Sessom Baker, Stephen Browne, and Jennifer Mendoza. Baker did not respond.

The other candidates’ responses are posted below, highlighting their goals on issues ranging from transportation to public safety.

“The claim of the administration and teachers' union that an Alpine separation would result in insolvency is a Halloween season scare tactic.” – Michael Waterman

By Michael Waterman, an East County attorney and writer

October 29, 2014 (La Mesa)--The state of the Grossmont School Board is not good. It's abysmal. Last year the County Grand Jury essentially charged the board majority with duping voters over the promised Alpine High School. In August the County Board of Education voted 5-0 to recommend to the State Board of Education that Alpine be allowed to break away from the District and build its own high school. This month a lawsuit was filed against the District which aims to stop bond spending on new projects until the State Board weighs in on the Alpine secession petition and a concomitant division of assets between Grossmont and Alpine.

October 28, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – If you haven’t yet sent in your mail-in ballot, you don’t have to drive to the Registrar of Voters to assure it’s received by the November 4^th election.  Now you can drop your mail-in ballot off at 12 county libraries during their business hours through November 3^rd, the day before the election. That includes the El Cajon and Santee libraries in East County.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Left, Glenn Dickie.  Lou Russo did not respond to our request for a candidate photo.

October 25, 2014 (Alpine) – Six candidates are running for the Alpine Union School District: Michael Beraud, Glenn Dickie, Nina Gould, Al Guerra, Lou Russo, and Eric Wray.  We sent a questionnaire to all six of them over a week ago. Only two responded by deadline: Lou Russo and incumebent Glenn Dickie. (If others respond later, we will post their replies at the end of this story, so check back.)

Dickie says he strongly backs building an Alpine High School and wants to help the AUSD through unification with the Grossmont District to build the Alpine High School. Russo says he would only support unification if it is the only way for Alpine to meet its goals.

Both candidates have had children ho attended district schools.  Both platforms include financial accountability.  Both candidates are conservatives though Dickie has the County Republican Party endorsement.  Dickie has a degree in finance and career experience that includes accounting and information technology. Russo, a former Marine and ex-teacher, has made school safety the number one plank in his platform and called for armed guards on campuses. Dickie also supports safe schools but has other approaches in mind. Dickie wants to start a summer learning program and sees declining enrollment, implementing Common Core standards and increasing technology in the classroom as important issues.

Below are their responses in full.

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2014 (Alpine) – A negative campaign mailer  targeting Alpine School Board candidate Lou Russo (photo, left) was funded by the Public Safety PAC based in San Carlos.  Russo is, in fact, endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police in San Diego County. 

Among those contributing major funds to the Public Safety PAC is local Diamond dealer, CK Diamonds who is owned by Charles “Chuck” Kaderabek. Kaderabek withdrew his nomination from the Alpine Planning Group after Russo exposed Kaderabek’s string of tax liens, tax delinquencies and lapsed law license.

The Public Safety PAC has also been exposed as being behind mailers targeting La Mesa City Council candidate Mary England, who has the endorsement of La Mesa’s police, fire and public safety unions.

Listen now! (audio files may take a few moments to load)

Congresswoman Susan Davis:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Challenger Larry Wilske: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

October 23, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – We sat down for in-depth interviews with Congresswoman Susan Davis, a Democrat, and her opponent, Republican Larry Wilske, a Navy Seal.   Hear their views on jobs, the economy, energy, women’s issues, education, healthcare, Social Security, military actions in the Middle East and the refugee crisis, immigration, border security, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the needs of veterans and military families, the prospects of another government shut-down, and more.

Wilske called for boots on the ground in Syria, reform of NAFTA to encourage manufacturing in the U.S., creation of a cross-border rail line, increased use of oil refineries, nuclear and algae fuels, arming teachers to reduce school violence, stopping employers from hiring illegal immigrants, and allowing veterans to receive private healthcare when VA hospitals are backlogged.  

Davis discussed ideas to increase commerce at the border, boost funding for National Institute of Health research on Ebola, strengthen public education and keep college affordable, boost the economy through immigration reform, protect healthcare , Social Security and women’s rights, address climate change and seek a long-range strategy for addressing the ISIL terrorist threats in Syria and Iraq.