By Macy Meinhardt, V&V Staff Writer, CA Local News Fellow
In a race poised to dramatically impact the political direction of San Diego County, Imperial Beach Mayor and Democratic candidate Paloma Aguirre is on track to win the supervisorial seat, securing 53% of the votes.
“It’s a new day in the South Bay! Today belongs to the working-class families of South County, a nuestra gente trabajadora,” said Aguirre in a social media post uploaded on the evening of July 1.
The Democrat has positioned herself as a candidate who will “hold the line against the Trump administration.” Key issues she campaigned on include the cross-border sewage crisis and lowering the cost of living for working and middle-class families.
Aguirre will join the two current Democratic supervisors on the five-member board: Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer of District 3 and Monica Montgomery-Steppe of District 4. With the District 1 seat vacant for several months, the pair have struggled to pass any remotely partisan measures—ranging from immigration legal defense to Medicaid funding—due to opposition from their Republican colleagues on the board, Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson.
“County government has been deadlocked for months while families pay the price—from rents being too damn high to beaches being closed and contaminated. That inaction ends today,” said Aguirre in her election night statement.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors oversees an $8.5 billion annual budget, directing the flow of critical social services for county residents, such as public health, housing, law enforcement, and infrastructure.
Roughly 20% of the 370,000 ballots mailed to District 1 voters had been returned by Tuesday, July 1. Turnout was highest in Aguirre’s Imperial Beach precincts, where the average reached 37%. Her current edge reverses April’s primary results, when Republican Chula Vista Mayor John McCann led by 10 points.
The First Supervisorial District includes Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Barrio Logan, East Village, Golden Hill, and unincorporated areas such as Bonita, East Otay Mesa, Spring Valley, Lincoln Acres, Sunnyside, and La Presa.
Aguirre is a first-generation Mexican and has served as the mayor of Imperial Beach since 2022. Before taking the mayoral seat, she served as a councilmember for Imperial Beach for one term.
Prior to her time in public office, she served as the Coastal and Marine Director for WildCoast, a community-based non-profit committed to conserving and sustaining coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife.
In 2016, she was selected for the NOAA Sea Grant Knauss fellowship in Washington, D.C., where she worked for Sen. Cory Booker in developing legislation such as the Marine Debris Program Reauthorization Act.
“Whether you voted for me or not, I’m ready to work my heart out to bring down costs, protect our health, and deliver results—no matter your income, political party, or zip code.” Said Aguirre in a post-election statement.
To see the full results from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, visit: sdvote.com