\u201cAlthough it was not the income we had hoped for, I wish my opponent success in serving Santa Ana residents,\u201d he said in the Wednesday evening social media post.<\/p>\n
The winner in that race will replace Councilman David Penaloza, an ally to Amezcua who is on track to win his bid for State Assembly with the backing of the police union against Councilwoman Jessie Lopez \u2013 a progressive backed politician that the police union unsuccessfully tried recalling in 2023.<\/p>\n
Candidates like Ramos and De Anda are being backed by progressive groups like OC Action that spent over $16,000 to support De Anda\u2019s campaign and over $6,200 to support Ramos\u2019 campaign, as of Oct. 24. <\/p>\n
Chispa\u2019s political action committee spent nearly $12,000 to support De Anda and nearly $6,000 on Ramos.<\/p>\n
Amezcua \u2013 whose campaign\u2019s received heavy financial support from the Santa Ana Police Officers Association \u2013 remained on track to win reelection \u2013 despite her initial 50% lead from Tuesday night dwindling down to about 46% Wednesday evening to two first-time candidates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her opponent, attorney Dan Shimell, trailed behind her with about 41% of the 43,900 votes counted as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dwayne Shipp, a city commissioner who also ran for mayor, had almost 14% of the votes. \u00a0He seemingly conceded in an Instagram post Wednesday morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Ward 2, Incumbent Ben Vazquez was in the lead with about 72% of the votes ahead of his opponent Selica Diaz, a realtor whose campaign was heavily supported by the police union, who had about 28% of the vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n There were over 5,200 votes counted so far in the race.<\/p>\n The California Working Families Political Action Committee, a progressive group, spent nearly $10,000 on digital ads to support Vazquez\u2019s campaign on Oct. 23.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ballots are being counted after the police union this year have dropped over $240,000 on mailers and ads supporting Amezcua, Bacerra, Chavez and Diaz and spent about $33,000 on ads and mailers opposing Vazquez and Ramos, as of Oct. 24.<\/p>\n Santa Ana Police Officers Association President John Kachirisky said the union will respect the will of the voters when asked about their endorsed candidates trailing behind in their respective races in the current election results.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe in democracy and respect the will of the voters. We are willing to work with everybody and continue to advocate for our members who provide public safety. We hope the incoming City Council members stick to their promise of support for working families and will meet with us in good faith to support our police officers and non-sworn employees,\u201d said Kachirisky in a Wednesday email statement.<\/p>\n Will Santa Ana City Council Have a New Majority?<\/p>\n If current results hold, De Anda, Ramos and Vazquez could potentially form a new progressive majority with sitting Councilman Johnathan Hernandez \u2013 leaving Amezcua as the only elected official on the dais with police union backing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Councilwoman Thai Viet Phan, who almost faced a recall backed by the police union in 2023, continues to serve on the dais. That recall effort failed because the union did not get enough signatures to put on the ballot.\u00a0<\/p>\n Phan has often voted alongside police union-endorsed council members including voting to approve a three and half year contract in 2024 with the police union expected to cost the city $27 million<\/a> and voting to approve two contracts for automated license plate readers last year<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n If results hold simultaneously in the 68th State Assembly District between Lopez and Penaloza, Lopez would remain on the city council, joining the new progressive bloc.\u00a0<\/p>\n As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Penaloza was in the lead with around 52% of the over 71,400 votes counted. Lopez trailed behind at about 48% \u2013 a difference of over 2,700 votes.\u00a0<\/p>\n The potential majority flip comes amid recent scrutiny of city hall \u2013 including city officials refusing to answer questions about why they held a ribbon cutting for a new aquatic center featuring the entire city council weeks before the election when the pools were not open<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the same time, there have been demands for police accountability over the viral violent arrest of resident Florentino Lopez<\/a> and scrutiny over police arresting two immigrant advocates that were observing ICE agents last month<\/a>, after the federal officers called for help.<\/p>\n It all comes while the city continues to face a structural deficit<\/a> that some current elected officials hope a measure on the ballot will help address.\u00a0<\/p>\n The initiative, dubbed Measure N, would if approved indefinitely keep a 1.5% sales tax increase that was supposed to decrease in a couple of years before ending in 2039.<\/p>\n As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, about 67% of voters were in favor of Measure N. There were over 45,400 votes counted so far in the race.<\/p>\n Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHosam Elattar is a Voice of OC\/ Report For America reporter covering Anaheim & North Orange County, food insecurity, housing & homelessness, the Arab & Muslim American community and education.
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