This story was updated June 4 at 6pm
Soon after the polls closed Tuesday night, a group of roughly two-dozen supporters who had gathered in the Slice Project pizzeria on Main Street cheered when the first results came in.
Their candidate, Tony Nuñez, had captured a commanding 49% of the vote for the District 4 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, while incumbent Felipe Hernandez received nearly 35%.
Elias Gonzales trailed with 385 votes, or 14.6%.
If Nuñez’s share rises above 50%, he will win the election outright and avoid a November runoff, an outcome he called “unheard of.”
“A sitting incumbent to be unseated in the June primary — I can’t remember when this has ever happened,” he said. “And that’s not because of me. It’s because of everyone in this room.”
Nuñez was holding steady Thursday afternoon with 49.8%, compared to Hernandez’s 33.2%.
While expressing optimism, Nuñez cautioned that votes were still being counted.
“There’s still a lot to be determined,” he said. “Regardless of that, it looks like we’re, at the very least, going to November and getting to a runoff election.”
Nuñez told supporters the gathering was less about election results than recognizing the people who helped power the campaign.
“Tonight is not about results,” he said. “Tonight is not about the actual election. It’s just for me to thank supporters.”
He noted that everyone in attendance had “donated, volunteered, provided some sort of support.”
Nuñez credited volunteers and donors for the campaign’s success so far.
“Everyone walked, everyone talked, everyone donated, volunteered, endorsed,” he said. “Thank you so much for everything.”
Framing the campaign around leadership for South County communities, Nuñez said supporters shared a vision that “Watsonville, Pajaro Valley, South County deserves the leadership that’s going to show up, that’s going to work hard, and that’s going to deliver.”
District 4 encompasses much of South Santa Cruz County, including a large portion of Watsonville.
District 3 Supervisor Justin Cummings ran unopposed.
Go Tony!!!!!
THIS IS MASSIVELY GOOD NEWS FOR SOUTH COUNTY. a supervisor who will actually respond to text message, emails and voice mails. a supervisor who will actually do physical and mental labor in his job. A supervisor who has not raised the ire of the CA fair poltical practices commission . and a supervisor who will actually stand up for affordability and against trump. YOU GO TONY!
I agree with you Steve. He sure will be. While I personally am not a fan of politicians, I am hopeful about Tony for sure.Tony is a more younger person. We need more younger ppl to be involved! I AM GLAD TO SEE the more younger generations being involved! We need more energy into our community and especially when it comes to progressing our town forward! We could have a nice fancy downtown such as the one Salinas and Morgan Hill have, and I know Tony will work hard to make sure our downtown is amazing and vibrant such as the ones in Morgan Hill and Salinas.
Our South County area has a lot of hidden gems, and Tony will make sure everyone is able to afford and access them!
The days of good ol’ boys like Felipe Hernandez, Ramon Gomez, Rios, Dodge Sr, or Lowell Hurst being in charge are over. We were told to vote for these people for a long time as apparently they were “good” for the town. These individuals have a 1960s mentality, and besides keeping the town old, worn down, segregated, and stuck in time, HALF of them wish they could still beat their children such as Greg Caput or be dirty womanizers and perverts like Oscar Rios!
Felipe does NOT care about the youth of this town! He sets a bad role model with his arrogance, greed, corruption, and health! Felipe will teach your children to eat Big Macs and Tacos de Asada. What a shame! McDonald’s and unhealthy junky fast food is the LEAST this town needs.
We desperately need a change. Felipe does not show up for work. I don’t care if Felipe is a veteran. I’m a veteran and I would never vote for him.