Across Santa Cruz County elections for state and federal representation Tuesday night, there are few surprises, and a few expected results.
Early results posted at 8:15 show incumbent Jimmy Panetta holding the lead in the race for California’s 19th congressional district at 65% with Republican Peter Coe Verbica trailing at 15.6% and Green-turned-Democratic party candidate Sean Dougherty at 11.8%. Incumbent Zoe Lofgren leads the 18th congressional district race at 57%, with Republican Shane Lewis at 22.8% and Democratic challenger Luis Arreguín at 17%.
In the 28th assembly district, Incumbent Democrat Gail Pellerin has a powerful lead at 77.5% of early voter returns. A similar trend in the 29th assembly district has incumbent Democrat Robert Rivas leading at 72%.
As of 9pm, Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton traded the lead for Governor statewide, both hovering at around 26%. Results in Santa Cruz County were far more blue, showing Becerra at 31% and Tom Steyer at 28%, while Hilton sat at around 18%.
In the race for mayor of Santa Cruz, former third district supervisor Ryan Coonerty leads by a large margin at a commanding 53%. The closest candidate behind him is former journalist and educator Ami Chen Mills at 16%.
“I’m very grateful to all the community members who supported me and volunteered for my campaign,” Coonerty said Tuesday evening. “I feel very good about December, but there are still many votes to count.”
California follows a nonpartisan primary system, meaning that in most races the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election in November. Those that receive more than 50%, however, win their elections outright.
