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Politics

Incumbents look to retain San Diego City Council seats; Lee leads in District 6 race

San Diego City Council District 6 candidate Kent Lee speaks at the San Diego County Democratic Party election headquarters with the KPBS Voter Hub overlay. Nov. 8, 2022.
Jacob Aere
/
KPBS
San Diego City Council District 6 candidate Kent Lee speaks at the San Diego County Democratic Party election headquarters with the KPBS Voter Hub overlay. Nov. 8, 2022.

Three incumbent San Diego City Council members appeared heading for reelection today, while Kent Lee pulled ahead of fellow Democrat Tommy Hough for the open seat in the District 6 race.

District 2

District 2 incumbent Jennifer Campbell, a retired physician, is leading against Linda Lukacs, a dentist, educator and realtor. Campbell was the only incumbent in the June primary who failed to win a majority of the vote. She upset some constituents over her successful efforts to legalize and regulate the short-term home rental industry and her support for raising the 30-foot height limit in the Midway District.

Lukacs has said she can do a better job of communicating with her constituents and including them in the political process. She is the only candidate for city office that has the endorsement of the San Diego County Republican Party — a liability in a district where Democrats far outnumber Republicans and the GOP brand is still bound to former President Trump.

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District 4

District 4 is the least competitive race on the city ballot, incumbent Monica Montgomery Steppe took a big lead against Gloria Evangelista.

That was made clear by incumbent Monica Montgomery-Steppe's victory in the June primary with more than 71% of the vote. Montgomery-Steppe has campaigned on racial equity in city services and greater accountability for law enforcement.

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District 6

District 6 is the only city race with no incumbent after Councilmember Chris Cate, the last remaining Republican in San Diego elected office, was termed out.

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In initial results Tuesday, Kent Lee, the outgoing head of the nonprofit that produces the San Diego Asian Film Festival, is leading with 57% of the vote, while former radio host Tommy Hough has 43%.

Hough's campaign has seized on anxieties surrounding growth and development in historically low-density neighborhoods, while Lee has sought to take a more middle-of-the-road approach in support of adding to the city's housing supply.

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District 8

District 8 sees incumbent Vivian Moreno facing off against her 2018 opponent, Antonio Martinez. Moreno, took a large early lead Tuesday over Martinez, 61.7%-38.4%.

Both candidates have campaigned on bringing more city resources to the district, which has historically seen less investment than wealthier parts of the city.

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The 2024 primary election is March 5. Find in-depth reporting on each race to help you understand what's on your ballot.