REGION — In one of the most closely watched races in the country, Diane Harkey (R-Dana Point) won the 49th Congressional primary, after a late push to put her in a runoff against Mike Levin (D).
Harkey, who is on the Board of Equalization, won with 25.5 percent, while Levin took second with 17.1 percent as the two advance to November’s general election.
It was one of the most crowded fields with 16 candidates. Democrats Sara Jacobs and Doug Applegate finished third (15.5) and fourth (13.2), respectively, while Republicans Kristin Gaspar (8.7) and Rocky Chavez (7.8) rounded the top of the field.
In local races, San Marcos Mayor Jim Desmond, a republican, cruised to victory in the race for the open seat in District 5 of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors with 45 percent. He will face newcomer Michelle Gomez, a democrat, who slipped past Oceanside City Councilman Jerry Kern, 22-20. Jacqueline Arsivaud placed fourth with 12 percent.
The highly anticipated races for district attorney and sheriff were blowouts, as Summer Stephan crushed Geneviéve Jones-Wright, 63-36; and Sheriff Bill Gore breezed past challenger Dave Myers, 56-43.
In the race for State Assembly in the 76th District, Democracts Elizabeth Warren and Encinitas City Councilwoman Tasha Boerner Horvath finished on top with 25.7 percent and 25.2, respectively.
In the 75th District, incumbent Marie Waldron (R-Escondido) easily won over Alan Geraci, 63-37.
And State Sen. Pat Bates took a convincing 55-45 lead over Margie Castellano. Bates collected 60 percent of the vote in Orange County, while Castellano won the San Diego County portion, 50-49. Both candidates will face each other again in the November general election.
