SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Six Assembly seats and one state Senate spot will be decided by San Diego County voters Tuesday, with a handful of incumbents looking to reclaim their seats, as well as several races featuring entirely new blood.
In the 39th Senate District, Democrat Akilah Weber and Republican Bob Divine will look to represent the district spanning from Point Loma and Coronado into East County, replacing termed out-Sen. Toni Atkins.
Weber currently represents the 79th Assembly District, is a medical doctor and previously served on the La Mesa City Council.
Citing her medical career, she says the health of her constituents is a key concern, but also says she will pursue more affordable housing and equitable access to education and health care.
Weber and Divine, a retired Navy commander, were the only two candidates in the primary election, in which Weber took just over 60% of the vote.
In the 74th Assembly District -- spanning North County into southern Orange County -- Republican incumbent Laurie Davies looks to fend off Democrat Chris Duncan.
Davies defeated Duncan in the 2022 general election by a slim margin, taking 52.6% of votes. In this year's primary election, she took about 55% of votes over Duncan, the only other candidate.
Duncan's prior experience includes serving as mayor of San Clemente and a prosecutorial career that includes being Assistant Chief Counsel at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
In the 75th Assembly District, representing Poway and a large portion of East and inland North County, two Republicans -- Carl DeMaio and Andrew Hayes -- face off.
DeMaio heads conservative political action committee Reform California, previously served on the San Diego City Council, and has made several prior runs for Congress.
While Hayes, a business owner and president of the Lakeside Union School District Boards of Trustees, has had less of a presence in local politics over the years, he does have the endorsements of the California and San Diego County Republican Party and numerous Republican elected officials.
The 76th Assembly District, which stretches from Carmel Mountain Ranch up north into San Marcos and Escondido, sees Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane and Democrat Darshana Patel vying for the spot vacated by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein, who is running for San Diego City Attorney.
Bruce-Lane, a businesswoman, narrowly lost to Maienschein in 2022, while Patel is a research scientist who serves on the Poway Unified School District board.
The 77th Assembly District, covering the coastal areas stretching from the border through Carlsbad, sees incumbent Democrat Tasha Boerner facing off against Republican James Browne.
Boerner, who is seeking a fourth term in the state assembly, took nearly 57% of the vote in the primary election. Browne took just over 38% of votes.
In the 78th Assembly District, Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward is running unopposed.
The 79th Assembly District will see two Democrats vying to replace Akilah Weber, who is running to represent the 39th state Senate district.
La Mesa City Councilmember Colin Parent faces LaShae Sharp-Collins, a community engagement specialist with the county office of education. The 79th District stretches from City Heights into East County.
In the 80th Assembly District, covering southern San Diego County, incumbent Democrat David Alvarez and Republican Michael Williams face off.
Alvarez and Williams were the only two candidates in the primary election, where Alvarez took nearly 60% of the vote.
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