SEVERAL NEWCOMERS ELECTED TO COUNTY CENTRAL COMMMITTEES IN THE AD 71 REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – Several new members were elected to San Diego County's Republican and Democratic central committees in the 71^st Assembly District covering much of East County.

While some incumbents won reelection by voters valueing experience, the races also resulted in several incumbents ousted, as well as some long-time party leaders and elected officials rejected by voters who chose activists and newcomers over establishment figures to fill some seats.

In the 71^st Assembly District Republican Central Committee race,  four incumbents won reelection:  Caucus chair Dustin Trotter,  former State Senator Joel Anderson, business Frank Hilliker and Grossmont Union High School District board member Jim Kelley. Two incumbents did not seek reelection, so two new faces will join the committee:  Mark Bryan, a deputy Sheriff, and Dan Bickford, a retired Navy specialist.

The winning candidates appear to have beaten out seven other contenders including elected officials and past party leaders:  Alpine Protection District board director Barry Willis, former judge Gary Kreep, former county party chairman Ron Nehring, Lakeside Water District board member Steve Robak, county party executive director Jordan Gascon, accountant/property management professional Christine Le Marca, Cajon Valley School Board member Jill Barto, and Mike Harrison, deputy chief of staff for former Congressman Duncan Hunter. 

In the 71^st Assembly District Democratic Central Committee race,  incumbents Marilyn Riley, an attorney, Tina Rynberg, president of La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club, and Judy Walters, an Assembly staffer, won reelection, along with challengers Christina Perry, a teacher, Sharon Cox, a retired teacher, and Erin Clark, a teacher.

Two slates of candidates were battling for the seats, one touting their “proven experience” getting voters to the polls, the other running on a progressive issues slate.  Voters elected some from each:  Riley, Rynberg and Cox were on the “experience slate,” while Clark and Perry were on the progressive slate. Walters was not allied with either slate.

The winners appear to have defeated seven other contenders including incumbents Chris Pearson,  J. Eric Hereford, and Robert Grand, as well as challenges Tiffany Maple, an Assembly delegate, Tom Lemmon, a Marine and veterans’ advocate,  Ryan Darsey, a community organizer, and James Elia, a state party delegate.

Below are the full vote totals as of March 12, 2020 for both the Democratic and Republican Central Committee races in the 71^st Assembly District, with all precincts counted but some provisional ballots remaining to be tallied.

REPUBLICAN COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE 71ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Precincts Reported: 285 of 285 (100%)

DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE 71ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Precincts Reported: 285 of 285 (100%)