Moreno Maintains Lead In Battle For District 8 City Council

San Diego City Council District 8 has often been the seat of dissent in local politics, with Councilman David Alvarez casting the lone "no" votes on a number of policies and projects put forward by Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

Alvarez, Faulconer's one-time opponent in a special mayoral election, is now termed out and voters are choosing between Vivian Moreno, a member of his staff, and Antonio Martinez, a community health clinic worker and board member of the San Ysidro School District.

Both candidates are progressive Democrats, and both have made similar cases to voters that they will fight to bring more resources to their historically underserved district. District 8 includes Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa.

RELATED: San Diego Democratic Party Removes Facebook Ad After Outcry

Martinez won the endorsement of the San Diego County Democratic Party and the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, which can act as a kingmaker in local politics. Moreno has the support of a number of Democratic clubs representing women, youth, environmentalists and the LGBT community, as well as the Municipal Employees Association, the largest union of city workers.

Moreno has far outraised Martinez. She won easily in the June primary with 35.6 percent of the vote. Martinez came in second with 27.3 percent, finishing only three votes ahead of third-placed candidate Christian Ramirez.