Weber leads state Senate race; DeMaio is ahead in the bid for the 75th Assembly seat

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Six Assembly seats and one state Senate seat were on the ballot for San Diego County voters, with a handful of incumbents seeking to retake their seats and several races featuring entirely new blood.

In the race for the 39th Senate District, Democrat Akilah Weber was ahead of Republican Bob Divine with 61.5% of the vote. The district extends from Point Loma and Coronado into East County. The candidates are seeking to succeed deposed Senator Toni Atkins.

Weber currently represents the 79th Assembly District, is a physician and previously served on the La Mesa City Council.

Weber and Divine, a retired Marine commander, were the only two candidates in the primary, where Weber received just over 60% of the vote.

In the 74th District – which stretches from North County to southern Orange County – Republican incumbent Laurie Davies led Democrat Chris Duncan by just over 3,000 votes on election night.

Davies narrowly defeated Duncan in the 2022 general election, receiving 52.6% of the vote.

Duncan's previous experience includes serving as mayor of San Clemente and a career as a federal prosecutor, including as assistant chief counsel at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Two Republicans – Carl DeMaio and Andrew Hayes – faced off in the 75th Assembly District, which represents Poway and much of east and inland North County.

Despite losing the trust of the county Republican Party, DeMaio gained a 60.7% lead over Hayes – who received the Republican Party's support – and is likely to win this race.

DeMaio heads the conservative political action committee Reform California, previously served on the San Diego City Council and has run for Congress several times.

Hayes, a business owner and president of the Lakeside Union School District board of trustees, has had less of a presence in local politics over the years.

In the 76th Assembly District, which stretches from Carmel Mountain Ranch north to San Marcos and Escondido, Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane and Democrat Darshana Patel are vying for the seat vacated by Rep. Brian Maienschein, who is running for Running for San Diego District Attorney.

Patel led on election night by just over 7,000 votes and a vote share of 52.9%, ahead of Bruce-Lane's 47.1%.

Bruce-Lane, a businesswoman, narrowly lost to Maienschein in 2022, while Patel is a research scientist who serves on the Poway Unified School District board.

In the 77th Legislative District, which covers the coastal areas from the border to Carlsbad, incumbent Democrat Tasha Boerner defeated Republican James Browne 60.1% to 39.9%.

In the 78th Constituency, Democratic Rep. Chris Ward is running unopposed.

In the 79th District, two Democrats will be vying to replace Weber.

LaShae Sharp-Collins, a community engagement specialist with the county Office of Education, led La Mesa City Councilman Colin Parent by about 3,500 votes. The 79th District stretches from City Heights to East County.

In the 80th Legislative District, which covers southern San Diego County, incumbent Democrat David Alvarez defeated Republican Michael Williams with 60% of the vote.

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