The latest vote totals for San Diego have now made it clear which city council candidates made it to the General Election in November. In California, primaries don’t decide who wins council seats in San Diego as runoffs between the top two candidates are required in all races. This “jungle primary” then makes the second slot in every race crucial.
District 2
Nicole Crosby and Richard Bailey hold the top two spots. Bailey’s election-night lead of 2,000 votes over Crosby has shrunk significantly as the county registrar continues to count votes. As of today, it is less than 500 votes.
In the latest tally, Bailey has 14,683 votes, for 34.88%, and Crosby has 14,189, for 33.71%. And as District 2 voters break Democrat over Republican by 2 to 1, it is sensible to assume that voters for the other Democrats in the D2 race will support Crosby (all except Bailey are Democrats). This means that Crosby could very well be the next councilmember for the district.
District 4
Since election night, the results for incumbent Henry Foster have improved. He and Martha Abraham have secured the top two spots and will face off in November.
On that fateful night, Abraham led Foster by 249 votes when final election night totals were posted in the early morning hours of June 3. Foster has since moved into first place and was leading by 22 votes in the latest results posted Tuesday. This incredible showing by Abraham, a relative unknown without governing experience, displays voters’ frustration with city hall. Reportedly, Foster kept his powder dry in order to save his resources for the General Election — and this may have been a mistake because it has allowed Abraham to even overtake him in the days immediately after the primary.
District 6
Since election eve, another incumbent, Kent Lee, has improved his vote standing. Lee has widened his lead over second-place finisher Mark Powell from fewer than 2,000 votes on June 3 to more than 5,300 on Tuesday, June 9.
District 8
With only 11,000 votes left to tally countywide — and only a small fraction of those from District 8 — Gerardo Ramirez seems likely to end up finishing second and making the runoff against first-place finisher Antonio Martinez.
Ramirez is 295 votes ahead of Venus Molina, the former chief of staff for current D2 councilmember Jen Campbell. While Molina has narrowed his lead by 57 votes over the last week, she is not gaining at a pace that is nearly fast enough. Molina does not plan to concede until all the votes are counted. She said she is “waiting till the end.”
News source: David Garrick at San Diego U-T.
A hearty congratulations to the residents of District 2 who clearly saw through one of the most cynical political campaigns in recent San Diego memory. While Bailey may have come in first place (barely), only receiving under 35% of the vote is a dismal outcome, despite the hundreds of thousands spent lying to residents about who he was. Nicole Crosby will be the D2 representative moving forward; it’s just a question of how badly she beats Bailey in November now.
You take us as fools, D2. Crosby is a Democrat, but she also supported paid parking in Balboa Park and follows the Todd doctrine of taxing constituents and not addressing the staffing bloat or ballooning deficit. I guess that doesn’t matter to you because she is part of your ‘Blue team’.
Crosby works as an attorney in Todd Gloria’s city attorney’s office. The office that has a strong losing streak when it comes to lawsuits against the city creating millions of dollars’ worth of taxpayer funded pay outs. But D2, you are right she’s a Dem.
I will love watching the debates to hear Bailey talk about the issues and policy while Nicole is defending our city’s $250million deficit.
Good luck!
I am proud to say, I am a former Democrat with 20/20 vision.
Now I know I will get a very lengthly screed from you in reply to this. Go right ahead and whine away.
Not sure why there would be a screed? I was right the whole time, and your guy is going to lose by double digits in November.
Winners don’t whine :)
Hope you enjoy the continued destruction of our once fine city.
Hey, longtime resident Lisa M. with the 20/20 vision, did you know the City Attorney’s office is completely independent of the mayor? You can learn something new every day!
Well, if you believe that, you must believe Columbus actually discovered America.
Is it really?
Can you demonstrate examples of their independence?
I can prove you wrong:
When it comes to Todd’s agenda, Heather Ferbert is a parrot of Todd’s. She was unable to say whether the Trash Tax imposed on single family residences was in violation of the State Constitution requiring ‘Fee for service’ only.
Heather Ferbert was overseeing the failed lease contract for the Kettner and Vine 1,000 bed homeless facility. A lease that was negotiated between Todd, Steve Cushman (who does not have a real estate license but was a big donor of Todd’s) and the Kettner property owner. When we exposed the failings of the lease to the media, Todd backed town any canceled the deal. Heather had no comment.
True. The City and City Attorney are in lock step.
Even if it was true, then it’s even more egregious defending these city misfits above the public. Taxpayer dollars defending financial malfeasance.
I am not happy with the mayor or the council. I do not support the YIMBY democrat agenda. But no matter how disillusioned I become with the dem party, I will never vote for an “Independent” who is a Trump supporter. That’s the problem with politics today: not enough choices, just tons of ego and cash.
Bailey supported a PPP loan scamming felon, who bought and sold unlicensed guns in San Diego county, showing he is no different that Trump. He will excuse corruption, crime and fraud as long as it is committed by his friends.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/10/28/san-diego-jeweler-leo-hamel-sentenced-to-house-arrest-in-illegal-gun-buying-scheme/
Lisa, does this not bother you at all? He could have just not written a letter. But he did and it shows where his loyalties lie.
Thanks for your comment. You saved me a lot of time writing pretty much the same thing. Nicole Crosby will just be an extension of Todd Gloria and Jenn Campbell’s miserable policies. Plus, she is all in on Midway Rising. Most Likely “team blue “ will elect her in November, and the ruination of San Diego will continue.
No, got to disagree with you there, bro. I just re-read a UT interview with Nicole Crosby and she definitely DOES NOT sound like Todd or Campbell.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/07/qa-meet-nicole-crosby-candidate-for-san-diego-city-council-in-district-2/
Frank, when have you ever said a kind word about someone who is not a Democrat. Please republish those articles.
When have you ever said a critical word about Richard Bailey?
I agree with you completely, Craig.
Nicole supported Measure A and also Paid Parking at Balboa Park. Richard Bailey spearheaded the effort to Repeal the Fees.
Nicole will be a puppet of Todd’s and parrot for the MEA. The only fact of the ‘go blue or go home’ crowd is that Nicole is a democrat and sadly will continue Jen Campbells failed legacy. Prove us otherwise with facts not fiction.
A lot of left of center voters supported Measure A.
Also Lisa I know you’re not intentionally misrepresenting Crosby’s stances, but here she is in a UT interview:
What is your view of the imposition of parking fees at Balboa Park and do you think the mayor and council did enough to control costs before taking this step?
Balboa Park is a place where every San Diegan has special memories and where families can enjoy low-cost fun. It is unfair to charge any fee to San Diegans before the city looks at how it spends money, handles contracts and manages land leases. The city’s failure to look inward, along with a lack of community input, shows how we ended up in this situation. Instead of quick fixes, we need to address the root cause of the problem to control costs and clearly explain the plan to impacted San Diegans.
Thank you for correcting Ms. Lisa’s deliberate misrepresentation of Nicole Crosby’s stance on the issues.
The Bailey campaign is attempting to portray Ms. Crosby as a Mayor Gloria clone, when, in fact, she is anything but. It’s how they want to capitalize on constituent anger towards the Mayor. It’s deceptive and dishonest, but that’s how the Bailey campaign has been from the very beginning.
I have worked side-by-side with Ms. Crosby for nearly seven years on various volunteer projects in our community and I can vouch for her commitment, passion and genuine interest for the citizens in District 2.
Mr. Bailey, on the other hand, only recently moved into the City of San Diego, expressly for the purpose of running for office with his ultimate sights on the Mayor’s office. He is a product of the same conservative coalition that attempted to elect Larry Turner. Only this time they found a more presentable candidate. He’s slick, good looking and articulate. But he is still a Trump supporter with a history of standing for right wing causes inconsistent with the interests of D2 residents.
Sorry, Don, we will have to agree to disagree. You are generalizing on Bailey because he; is a threat to the Democrat stronghold at the city and he is a policy wonk.
I am not disparaging Nicole as a person, but the City Attorney’s office has had a strong losing streak on its cases as I described before. The payouts each year are in the millions.
I am interviewing the best candidate for the job and not attaching labels on the candidates. The most qualified person for the job is Richard Bailey. Nicole will not challenge the MEA, the pension fiasco, the bloated budget. She is supported by the local Dem party and MEA. So we can expect the usual downward financial spiral for this city.
Nicole has suggested a sales tax proposal. Wow, that’s a creative idea. Let’s get fresh and diverse ideas on the council.
I have to laugh when you refer to Bailey has a carpetbagger. He bought a place so whether he wins or loses, he won’t easily be able to sell his place. Instead, he’s building a future. I say, if you want to be a good neighbor, why not welcome him.
Bailey for D2
Abraham for D4
Powell for D6
Merriam-Webster defines “carpetbagger” as “a nonresident or new resident who seeks private gain from an area often by meddling in its business or politics.” So yeah, I would say the guy who moved from Coronado to Point Loma to run for office is almost the textbook definition haha.
Mr. Bailey has been secretly running for office in the City of San Diego for well over a year – long before he moved into the City and declared his candidacy. He has been cultivating a campaign base via social media and his “policy” website for all that time. It was pretty obvious from the very beginning.
Bailey is a manufactured big money candidate, produced by the failed Larry Turner campaign. Bailey’s real interest isn’t D2, it’s the Mayor’s Office. He really doesn’t care about D2 – it’s a stepping stone. Whether he wins or loses, his real purpose is building a campaign to run for Mayor.
The primary results are pretty interesting. In the only two-person primary, incumbent Kent Lee walloped Mr. Powell. That’s not going to change much in the general. It should be instructive about what to expect for the other district races.
Mr. Bailey has been working for months now to purge evidence of his right-wing background and present himself as a political moderate in order to be more appealing to D2 voters. It won’t work.
Well Crosby won support from the San Diego County Democratic Party and the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. So you know who that is, Browning and likely Rottenstreich. Same ol power brokers. Buyer beware.
Exactly, Chris. But sadly, those on this roster see that she is a Democrat and there’s nothing further for them to research.
“Richard Bailey spearheaded the effort to Repeal the Fees.” That’s a lie. The Lincoln Club Business League and Kevin Faulconer spearheaded the only anti-fee ballot proposal that was actually circulated. Bailey *said* he was going to but never did; and there’s reason to believe he only used his anti-fee web page to scrape voter information for his campaign. Michael Aguirre and Maria Severson spearheaded the lawsuit that ultimately led to a deal to roll back the fees.
Wrong, Ned. There were two repeal campaigns. Repeal the Trash fees were sponsored by the Lincoln Club.
Richard Bailey spearheaded the Repeal the Fees on Paid Parking in Balboa Park.
I worked on both campaigns and they were separate.
Obviously we shall see, but all the people discounting Bailey now that he’s up against a Dem may be surprised. In the primary I was going back and forth between Bailey and Havlik and I know I’m not alone in that. So I feel like many of Havlik’s supporters will end up voting for Bailey. So I don’t feel like it’s the typical ‘Dem vote was split in the primary and now we’ll get all the unified Dem votes’ scenario.
You are correct, Steph PL. To add to this open thinking, it appears that many voters are registering or reregistering ‘no party affiliation’. It’s middle of the road thinking and also a movement that wants to get big money out of politics.
The incumbents who are running for city council are getting big war chests from the unions and also the local dem party. If you are a dem running but are not endorsed by the party, it is a very tough road.
This is why we must put an end to this big money two-party system.
Lisa — what about Bailey’s $400,000 war chest? Where did that come from? It dwarfs any other candidate’s reserves.
The local Dem party and the unions haven’t pledged their money yet. Just wait Frank.
Bailey has obtained it the old-fashioned way, through fundraising with individual donors. Nothing wrong with that. Us former Democrats, now ‘no-party affiliates are donating to Richard. So are you assuming it’s dark money because we are not donated to your democrat?
I would love to know how much the felon Leo Hamel has donated to Bailey after Bailey wrote him a letter of support for his sentencing hearing.
Bailey supported a felon who scammed the government out of 1 million dollars. He is not the right guy for district 2 or for SD mayor.
Do you have any proof? Or is this a red herring?
Leo Hamel confessed under oath, Bailey still wrote a letter to support him.
Here’s your proof: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/10/28/san-diego-jeweler-leo-hamel-sentenced-to-house-arrest-in-illegal-gun-buying-scheme/
letters of support in his sentencing memorandum
Letters of support are compelling character references attached to a sentencing memorandum to advocate for leniency. They provide the judge with a humanized, three-dimensional view of the defendant beyond the details of their crime.
Believing in a person even though they did something wrong is apparently unacceptable to you. Jesus can still love the sinner.
Hamel plead guilty, the court sentenced, and this was almost 4 years ago. You probably have things in your fridge past the expiration date longer than this.
You asked for proof, I presented proof.
And the three dimensional view is that Leo Hamel was in the middle of this felony gun trafficking/sales case when he committed PPP loan fraud. Would you really send a letter of support to someone who commits a crime while under investigation for a felony?
But ultimately, Bailey supported his buddy who scammed the government and that is one reason why I do not trust Bailey to be part of the government.
Go argue with your disingenuous self with this AI result and your poor attempt to smear Bailey.
Prominent San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel did not commit PPP loan fraud himself, but his business partners obtained a forgivable $1 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan while Hamel transferred his shares to them to bypass regulations.
Ultimately, Bailey sent a letter in support before sentencing. A nothingburger you’re trying to sauce up to undercut Bailey. Grow up. All this for a D2 seat.
According to campaign filings, his family members donated $3,200. There may be other records out there, but that’s what I found.
I believe the SD Chamber of Commerce was also a big donor.
Bailey received $400,000 from individual donors and a committee supported by local business, including the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
And let’s not forget the 200K from the Richters Frank!
As a lifelong San Diegan at 89 as well as a life long Democrat, I am voting for Richard Bailey!
Anyone who supports Todd Gloria, please never complain !! simply bend over! As has been said, it is time for a change! Too many Democrats have become conformists, if not cowards.
Best wishes, Richard!
I agree with you fully, Richard.
Newsweek:
Democrat Xavier Becerra enters the general election for California governor with a commanding lead over Republican Steve Hilton, according to a new poll.
The former Health and Human Services secretary led Hilton 52 percent to 31 percent among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. The remainder were undecided.
OMG, I can’t keep track of y’all! You all know the old adage: If you can’t judge a book by its cover, don’t buy it.
Look at that perfidious Bailey grin permeating the computer screen! Those teeth pretending to smile; those eyes hoping to portray honesty. That pate trying to emulate a golden church dome in Milan.
All the manure & shit & dung & fecal matter & offal the trumpsters have flung into the political arena, caged people, concentration camps, murders–and some of you will vote for this tripe because of perceived articulation.
How does somebody who supports Midway Rising tell us that they aren’t just more of the same? We have an extremist YIMBY supermajority and the only way to restore balance and common sense is with diverse opinions who have to moderate their mantras to achieve consensus. I wanted to see Mandy make it to the general election because she is part of a community planning group, the type of person that has no seat at the current table. I see two D2 candidates still standing, one of which thinks Midway Rising is a mistake, and one who supports Midway Rising. There’s your choice. It’s our community to lose if this continues.
From VoSD
“A campaign text message hit phones Friday with a striking claim: “No more overdevelopment! Richard Bailey will stop the Midway Rising mega-development, limit ADUs, and stop city hall politicians from destroying our communities.”
The mailer was paid for by Steven Richter, the resident who poured money into an effort to support Larry Turner for mayor in 2024,
This was interesting because we’ve tracked Bailey on Midway Rising for months now and, while he was at first saying pretty harsh things about it, he seemed to be settling into a it’s-not-my-favorite-but-what-are-you-going-to-do message.”
Additionally his quote says nothing about stopping the development of the Midway site here, despite the Richters lying to D2 about Bailey’s beliefs in their mailers.
We asked Bailey to comment on the text messages. Here was his written response:
“The Sports Arena site desperately needs to be redeveloped but there are legitimate concerns that the scale of a 4K+ unit mixed use redevelopment will impact the surrounding area. The state surplus lands act incentivizes higher density development while limiting local input – this is not right. As a Councilmember, my goal will be to help make redevelopment of Sports Arena a success for the site and minimize impact to the surrounding neighborhood to the greatest extent allowed by law. I’ll also push for reforms to the Surplus Land Act that allow for greater local input on future projects,” Bailey wrote.