The San Diego Union-Tribune
March 7, 2002
Tough race is likely to stay tough for runoff;
Chula Vista hopefuls get ready for phase 2
BYLINE: Amy Oakes; STAFF WRITER
BODY:
CHULA VISTA -- They knew it wouldn't be easy.
As early as last summer, Councilman Steve Padilla and Councilwoman Mary Salas began actively raising money and collecting endorsements in their bids to be the city's next mayor. But it most likely was not enough for a conclusive win.
With absentee ballots still being tallied, preliminary results from the city's 85 precincts show that Padilla and Salas are headed for a November runoff. Petra Barajas significantly trailed both candidates.
"These are two strong, hard-fought campaigns," Padilla said yesterday.
Salas, who had a slight lead in votes counted yesterday, said she monitored the numbers most of the night.
"There's a real strong interest in this race," she said.
Final results are expected today or tomorrow. Both candidates already have said they will continue to campaign aggressively until November.
The two Chula Vista council seat races seem to have been decided, based on Tuesday's returns.
As expected, incumbent Patty Davis will remain in Council Seat No. 1. The real estate agent took a commanding lead over challengers Luis Monge and Virgil Pina early on and never lost it.
Davis said that during her next term she wants to push traffic relief projects forward, such as the southern portion of state Route 125, which will run from state Route 54 in Spring Valley to state Route 905. A developer has yet to break ground on the project.
"That's the big thing," Davis said, "mitigating traffic."
In Council Seat No. 2, an open seat, John McCann took an early lead in the three-way race and was able to capture the needed majority vote, according to Tuesday's returns. Robert Griego and Arturo Moreno nearly split the remaining votes.
"We ran a very rigorous and grass-roots campaign," McCann said. "We listened and learned what the key issues were, and people responded to that."
McCann said he will step down from the city's Planning Commission by December when he is sworn in to office. For now, he said, after actively campaigning for the past 11 months, he is taking his family on a vacation.
"They deserve it," McCann said.
Attention will now shift primarily to the mayor's race. Padilla and Salas said their campaigns started yesterday -- after a day or two of rest.
Mayor Shirley Horton, who will be termed out of office in December, said she realized while walking neighborhoods for McCann this past weekend that the mayor 's race would be close.
"It was pretty even," Horton said. "It could have gone either way."
Horton, who easily won the Republican nomination in the 78th Assembly district race and now faces a tough race in November, said she will be delegating some of her mayoral duties.
"Steve and Mary will probably play a larger role in participating in some activities," Horton said.
Padilla, who had reported $101,258.21 in contributions, including a $10,000 loan from his personal funds, said he expects to raise the same amount or more in this next round. He said he still needs to discuss strategy with his consultants but already knows the new campaign will focus on the candidates' skills and personality.
"Now it's time to delineate the differences between the two candidates," Padilla said. "This community needs a leader who will unite it, not divide it."
Salas, who raised $97,537.89, acknowledged the need to emphasize what each candidate brings to the job. She said she will promote her professional experience, including her work with California Trade and Commerce and her educational background.
"We are very different," Salas said, adding that she expects even more support going into the general election. "We're in good shape going into phase two."