As you know from our recap, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer won a second and final term in Tuesday's primary election with 58% percent of the vote. Faulconer, who took over after the resignation of former mayor Bob Filner, now enters his first full term as mayor of one of the state’s largest cities.
Faulconer is a rare breed: a Republican governing in a city where Democrats outnumber GOP voters by a 3-to-2 margin. With his message of inclusiveness, many strategists say he offers a lesson on how Republicans can still win in a liberal state like California.
But despite the support for Faulconer, San Diego voters also overwhelmingly approved a minimum wage increase that he vetoed in 2014. Proposition I will raise the city’s required minimum pay to $10.50 immediately and then to $11.50 an hour by 2017. It will also mandate 5 earned sick days for most employees.
Also worth a mention: Deputy District Attorney Robert Hickey and Deputy City Attorney Mara Elliott are headed for a November runoff after finishing first and second in the five-person race for San Diego city attorney. Hickey came out ahead by less than five percentage points.
The San Diego City Council will also see a runoff in November. Entrepreneur Barbara Bry and businessman Ray Ellis will face off in District 1. Meanwhile, urban planner Chris Ward will succeed termed-out Council Member Todd Gloria in District 3. Incumbents Mark Kersey and Scott Sherman won reelection in Districts 5 and 7. In District 9, Ricardo Flores has been chosen to replace his boss Marti Emerald who decided not to run for reelection.
See the results of Tuesday's primary here.