CHULA VISTA, Calif. (CNS) — The South Bay's largest city has some headline-grabbing races on Tuesday's ballot, including a battle involving a now-former City Council member who just pleaded guilty to two felony charges, and a runoff to replace a city attorney who died before he was elected.
Chula Vista has two of its four city council seats on the ballot, as well as its city attorney position.
The city attorney race is a runoff to fill the remainder of a term ending December 2026 -- after Simon Silva won the 2022 election despite dying before Election Day, and officials were unable to remove his name from the ballot.
The Chula Vista City Council has four members elected from geographic districts and led by a mayor who is elected by the entire city.
Chula Vista's City Council District 4 seat is unoccupied, after Andrea Cardenas resigned the seat last month and the remaining council members declared it officially vacant on Feb. 26.
However, Cardenas - who, along with her brother Jesus pleaded guilty to two felony counts of grand theft for fraudulently obtaining a COVID-relief loan for their political consulting business and using the money for personal expenses, and for unlawfully obtaining state unemployment benefits -- is still on the ballot, although not actively campaigning.
Cardenas is expected to receive a sentence of probation, with the chance to have the charges reduced to misdemeanors. If convicted of a felony, she would be ineligible to serve on the council, but if the charges are reduced to misdemeanors, there would be nothing to prevent her from returning to the council if elected.
As part of the siblings' pleas, six other felony counts of conspiracy, money laundering and failing to file tax returns will be dismissed. They will also be required to pay restitution.
The pair were initially charged last year, with prosecutors saying they fraudulently obtained a $176,227 Paycheck Protection Program loan in early 2021 intended for their firm, Grassroots Resources, then used the funds on personal expenses, including a $33,500 check to Andrea Cardenas' Chula Vista City Council campaign account.
Those running for the District 4 seat are:
- Delfina Gonzalez: a business owner/parent;
- Cardenas;
- Christine Brady: educator/engineer/CEO;
- Cesar Fernandez: teacher/school trustee;
- Leticia Lares: a Harborside Park advocate who qualified as a write- in candidate;
- José Sarmiento: bank manager/parent; and
- Rudy Ramirez: businessman.
The San Diego County Democratic Party has endorsed Fernandez. The San Diego County Republican Party has no endorsement.
Chula Vista City Council District 3, covering the southeastern quadrant of the city, is represented by Alonso Gonzalez, who is termed out.
Those running for the seat are:
- David Alcaraz: businessman;
- Michael Inzunza: city commissioner/parent;
- Daniel D. Rice-Vazquez: businessman;
- Christos Korgan: Chula Vista Sustainability Commissioner; and
- Leticia Munguia: nonprofit director.
The county Dems have endorsed Inzunza while the Republicans have backed Rice-Vazquez.
The top two vote-getters in both races will advance to the November general election.
Chula Vista's city attorney position, like the mayor, is a citywide race. The runoff from last November's election between Marco Verdugo, deputy city attorney, and Bart Miesfield, retired municipal attorney, has turned contentious.
PACs for each candidate have sent mailers smearing the other to voters throughout the city.
Verdugo has been endorsed by the county Democrats and Miesfield by the Republicans. The position is nominally nonpartisan. Since the city attorney race is a runoff, the top vote-getter Tuesday will claim the position.
