ESCONDIDO — Voters will decide on three council seats during the November election, including the mayor’s position and seats representing Districts 1 and 2.
Councilmember Consuelo Martinez has decided not to seek reelection in District 1.
“As someone deeply rooted in this city, this decision does not mean I am stepping away from Escondido; quite the opposite,” a statement on Martinez’s campaign website reads. “I remain fully committed to the community that raised me, shaped me, and continues to inspire my work every day.”
Martinez was first elected to the seat in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
“Serving Escondido has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Martinez continued. “Together, we have fought for equity, lifted up our neighborhoods, protected our families, and worked to create a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
District 1
Martinez’s decision to step aside means District 1 voters will have a new representative after Dec. 9.
According to City Clerk Zack Beck, three other candidates have submitted intentions to run for District 1 so far: Tanner Horsley, Alisa Nicholson Rice and Vanessa Valenzuela.
Horsley is a Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in 2006. He was deployed to Iraq and later stationed locally at Miramar Air Station. Since then, he has worked in the private sector at Qualcomm and in the public sector for the Department of Defense.
Horsley said he decided to run after watching issues such as homelessness, crime, and the cost of living worsen during his time living in Escondido, from his years as a young, single Marine to raising a family with two daughters.
“I believe in service to the country and community and want to take my experience and put it to work on behalf of the working families of Escondido and solve these difficult challenges,” Horsley said via email.
Horsley’s top priorities include public safety, homelessness and affordability.
He pledged to ensure competitive pay and benefits for the city’s first responders in an effort “to attract and keep top-tier talent.” He also promised to “take a balanced approach to homelessness” by ensuring services are still provided to those in need without turning the city into a “regional hub” for unhoused individuals.
As for affordability, Horsley said he supports smart growth that would provide more housing opportunities and lower housing costs for local families.
Valenzuela, a lifelong Escondido resident, said she is running because she believes the current council majority is “out of touch with the community and out of step with the region.”
“Escondido deserves leadership who will work for progress in the city and advocate for residents,” she said via email.
Valenzuela has nearly 20 years of financial experience and currently works as the finance director for the nonprofit I Love A Clean San Diego.
According to Valenzuela, her involvement in city workshops, along with her experience growing up in Escondido, attending local schools and raising her own family here, has helped shape her “deep comprehensive understanding” of city issues.
Housing is Valenzuela’s top priority.
“Housing is a leading pressing issue affecting all residents, directly or indirectly,” she said, noting the issue is particularly critical in District 1.
The third candidate, Alisa Nicholson Rice, did not respond to a request for comment.
District 2
In District 2, incumbent Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia is seeking reelection against one challenger so far: Anthony DiMartino.
Garcia was first elected to represent District 3 in 2020. After the 2020 Census required the city to redraw district boundaries, Garcia’s residence was moved into District 2, requiring him to run for that seat to remain on the council. He was reelected in 2022.
Garcia has served as a church pastor for more than 30 years, including 13 years in Escondido. He is also a member of the Escondido Rotary Club, the Escondido Police Chief’s Faith Council, the Community Services Commission and vice chair of the Escondido Planning Commission. He and his wife raised their three children in Escondido.
Garcia did not respond to The Coast News’ request for comment. According to his website, he “has a proven record of bipartisan leadership” and “believes in bridging differences to achieve results.”
His top priorities include enhancing public safety, easing the cost of living and prioritizing infrastructure through road repairs, sidewalk improvements and measures to mitigate traffic congestion.
DiMartino, a lifelong North County resident, said he wants to give back to his hometown through public service while serving as a model of leadership for his young son.
“I have a 20-month-old son and want him to grow up in a place that is safe, inclusive and filled with positive opportunities,” he said via email.
DiMartino said he has grown increasingly frustrated with Escondido’s current leadership and policy direction.
He said he was motivated to run after speaking against the city’s contract with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in February. A 4-1 council majority, including Garcia, declined to revisit the contract, which allows ICE officers to train at a police-owned firing range.
DiMartino holds a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has worked in local and state government for 15 years, including as an administrative analyst for the city of Long Beach and in grant writing for the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development. He also served as legislative director for Assemblymember Shirley Weber.
He currently directs the government affairs team for Californians for Safety and Justice.
DiMartino’s priorities include community safety, homelessness and housing affordability, support for small businesses, clean neighborhoods and infrastructure, tourism, and government transparency and accountability.
Mayor
Mayor Dane White is also seeking reelection after serving his first term in office. According to his website, White is a fifth-generation Escondido resident and owner of WhiteWerks Flooring LLC. He is also active in his church, where he helps lead addiction recovery programs and youth activities.
White lives in central Escondido with his wife and two daughters.
White was first elected mayor in 2022 and previously served on the Escondido Union High School District board.
Homelessness is among White’s top priorities. As a young man, he struggled with addiction and experienced homelessness, often sleeping behind the 7-Eleven near the intersection of Country Club Drive and Centre City Parkway.
“Now, as mayor, I have used those experiences to bring forward policies that help others who are like me,” his website states. “Part of what my experience taught me is that we must offer people a hand up while encouraging accountability and sobriety. Ultimately, if help is not accepted, we cannot continue to enable the individuals on our streets and leave them to suffer on our streets.”
Though he also did not respond to The Coast News’ request for comment, his website cites accomplishments by the City Council, including clearing “The Jungle,” a decades-old encampment in Escondido Creek, in 2024 to address environmental and health risks.
During his tenure, the city also enacted ordinances banning encampments near schools, parks and waterways and prohibiting people from living in RVs on public roads.
“At the same time, we continued fostering partnerships with local organizations to ensure that those who want help have resources available,” he added.
White’s other priorities include public safety, affordability, support for small businesses, and roads and infrastructure.
Elias Velazquez is challenging White after watching the city move “in the wrong direction” on homelessness and other issues.
“As someone who works in nonprofit leadership focused on homelessness in North County, I’ve seen firsthand how other cities successfully partner with local service providers to produce better outcomes,” he said via email.
Velazquez is a lifelong Escondido resident. He earned a degree in political science from California State University, Chico, and later worked in Stockton with a community organizing firm focused on education policy before returning home to apply those experiences locally.
Homelessness is his top priority. If elected mayor, Velazquez said he would work to make Escondido eligible for additional state and federal funding, use his experience to pursue long-term solutions, and support local law enforcement officers who often handle public safety concerns related to homelessness.
Velazquez currently works as information director and volunteer coordinator for the Brother Benno Foundation, which provides services to homeless and at-risk residents in Oceanside.
Like District 2 candidate DiMartino, Velazquez also opposed the city’s contract with ICE.
White was among the council majority that declined to revisit the contract in February.
“Our council completely fumbled this issue and their lack of leadership let fear take over the conversation. After five hours of public comment, with most speakers opposing the contract, the council declined to even hold a vote.”
Velazquez said Escondido has been among the North County cities most affected by local ICE arrests.
“I believe it’s unacceptable for so many residents in a majority-Latino city like Escondido to feel scared and go unheard by the people elected to represent them,” he continued.
Traffic is another top issue for Velazquez. He noted the city contains six of the county’s most dangerous intersections and pledged to pursue practical solutions to address congestion, unsafe intersections and speeding.
