By Martha McHardy
Republicans scored an unexpectedly strong showing in a closely watched special election in California.Early returns in Tuesday’s high-stakes runoff for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors show Republican candidate John McCann running significantly closer than many expected in a Democratic-leaning district that former Vice President Kamala Harris won by 20 points.Newsweek reached out to McCann via email for comment.Why It MattersThe special election comes after widespread protests and unrest in nearby Los Angeles over Trump’s immigration policies, which have seen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carrying out deportation raids in the city.But despite intense anti-ICE protests in California, that wave of activism does not appear to be translating into stronger support for Democrats.What To KnowAs of late Tuesday night, Paloma Aguirre, the Democratic mayor of Imperial Beach, held a narrow 6-point lead over McCann, the Republican mayor of Chula Vista, with 53 percent to 47 percent in the race for the District 1 seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.Newsweek reached out to Aguirre via email for comment.So far, the ballots counted represent about 19 percent of the more than 370,000 registered voters in the district, according to the Registrar of Voters.District 1 includes much of the South Bay and parts of the city of San Diego, and is widely regarded as a pivotal swing seat on the influential five-member Board. Since the sudden resignation of Supervisor Nora Vargas last December, who stepped down citing “personal safety and security reasons,” the Board has been split 2–2 between Democrats and Republicans.If Aguirre’s early lead holds, she will become the next District 1 supervisor, tipping the balance of power back in favor of Democrats. The last time Republicans dominated the Board was before 2020, when Democrats secured a majority for the first time in a generation.San Diego County supervisors oversee an $8.5 billion budget and play a major role in administering state and federal programs, such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal, while also governing unincorporated communities throughout the region.Aguirre says she is running to “bring change to county government” and to fight for working people by tackling local crises head-on. Aguirre has focused much of her campaign on addressing the issue of sewage pollution at the United States–Mexico border, which has plagued South Bay beaches for years.She has pledged to push for new infrastructure funding, a Superfund designation from the EPA, and to treat the issue as a public health emergency. She’s also promised to prioritize an audit of homelessness spending, expand treatment and shelter options, and address crime and high energy costs for residents.McCann, a U.S. Navy veteran, has emphasized his record on emergency response and public safety. His campaign focuses on increasing law enforcement funding, reducing government waste, and opposing new taxes, including the proposed mileage tax.McCann says he’ll work to expand health care, job training, and other essential services for veterans, while also helping to secure funding to fix the border sewage crisis and hold responsible parties accountable.What People Are SayingImperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, in a Tuesday statement to KPBS: “Today belongs to the working-class people of District 1, a nuestra gente trabajadora, who now have a fighter at the county Board of Supervisors who will hold the line against the Trump administration.”Chula Vista Mayor John McCann told ABC 10 San Diego: “Paloma and I actually went back to Washington, D.C., to help raise money at the White House and Congress together. I’m willing to work with anybody as long as we want to focus on results and having solutions.”What Happens NextCounty officials expect to continue counting ballots throughout the week, with an official update on results scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Registrar of Voters’ Office has until July 31 to certify the election.The winner will fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the current term that ends in January 2029.