California State Assembly District 79 frontrunner Dr. Akilah Weber claimed victory on social media Thursday night.
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters has yet to certify the results of the special election to fill the seat left vacant by Weber’s mother, Shirley Weber, but as of Thursday night, unofficial registrar data showed Weber with nearly 12,000 more votes than her closest competitor with only a few hundred ballots outstanding.
“Hundreds of people worked hard to earn this victory, and I am so grateful for their friendship, commitment, and trust. I want to thank my family, all of the volunteers & supporters who fueled our campaign, and most of all the voters for their trust and confidence,” Weber said in a Facebook post.
The younger Weber, a Democratic La Mesa City Councilmember, had nearly 52% of the vote in the special election, according to final unofficial election-night results released Thursday by the Registrar of Voters.
A June runoff is possible if the leading vote-getter received less than 50% of votes, but with just 300 outstanding ballots, according to the Registrar of Voters, Weber appears to be on her way to victory.
Marco Contreras, the lone Republican in the field of five candidates and Weber’s closest competitor, has not conceded the race.
NBC 7’s Priya Sridhar spoke to frontrunner Dr. Akilah Weber.
Contreras has 33.33% of the vote, the only other candidate with more than 9%.
Weber was holding on to a promising lead on Tuesday when the Registrar of Voters released an earlier batch of election results.
“Tonight’s win and these results are staggering,” Weber said on Tuesday. “I am deeply honored and humbled by the faith that the voters have placed in me. My campaign is focused on one mission — creating healthier communities for everyone who lives and works in the 79th District.
“Although there are votes yet to be counted, I am eager to start that work restoring economic prosperity, expanding high-quality health care, investing in education, and protecting our environment. There are innumerable tasks ahead to create an equitable and prosperous California, but together I know that we can achieve these essential ambitions.”
Weber is also an obstetrician/gynecologist who leads the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.
Contreras is the owner of Rancho Customs Brokers, which provides custom compliance and consulting services.
Leticia Munguia, the business representative for the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, District 36, which represents government employees across Southern California, was third with 8.12% of the vote, followed by Shane Suzanne Parmely, a teacher at Bell Middle School, with 5.19%.
Aeiramique Glass-Blake, a restorative justice consultant, activist and preacher who works in the juvenile justice field, was fifth with 1.22%.
The district consists of southeastern San Diego, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and parts of Chula Vista, Bonita and National City.