Irvine’s mayor has claimed victory in this week’s special election for a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, saying he’s “grateful and honored to have a chance to serve the people” of the 3rd District.
In results released Friday, Don Wagner emerged with more than 41% of the votes over challenger Loretta Sanchez, a former congresswoman who gained more than 37% of the votes among 72,035 ballots cast, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
In the hotly contested race, Wagner, a Republican who served six years in the state Assembly, represents the largest city in the district. His closest challenger was Sanchez, who, with two decades of experience on Capitol Hill, was the only Democrat in a field of seven candidates.
Analysts had predicted the race would narrow between the two, while Wagner’s supporters worried that the overwhelming number of Republicans on the ballot would mean a split vote, hurting his chances.
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