Tony Nuñez will be the next Santa Cruz County Supervisor representing the 4th District after final election results certified Friday showed he secured an outright victory in the June primary.
Final results released by Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber show Nuñez received 50.07% of the vote, enough to avoid a November runoff under California election law.
Incumbent Felipe Hernandez received 30.84% of the vote.
Nuñez will represent the district that includes Watsonville, Pajaro and surrounding South County communities.
A Watsonville High School graduate, Nuñez began his career as a reporter and later editor at The Pajaronian and Good Times before joining Community Bridges, where he now serves in a leadership role. He also helped lead the effort to preserve Watsonville Community Hospital as one of the inaugural members of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board of Directors, and currently serves as board chair.
He will give up that seat when he takes on the role of Supervisor.
Throughout his campaign, Nuñez said his priorities are improving access to essential services, creating more economic opportunity for working families and ensuring greater accountability in county government.
He said protecting and strengthening services such as health care, mental health care, transportation, child care, parks and community spaces would be among his top priorities.
Nuñez has also said the county must do more to help families remain in the community by addressing rising housing and child care costs, protecting anti-poverty programs and supporting workforce development and small businesses.
On government accountability, he pledged transparent leadership that clearly explains decisions, measures results and responds when public systems fail to meet community needs.
Nuñez immigrated from Cuerámaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, with his family when he was 8. The grandson of a farmworker and the son of blue-collar workers, he has often cited his family’s experience as shaping his approach to public service.
He has described his career—from journalism to nonprofit leadership and public service—as centered on strengthening the institutions residents rely on every day.
Nuñez lives in Watsonville with his wife and young son.
