Gilmore still leads; Florez won't concede

Thousands of ballots remain uncounted in the 30th Assembly District's four counties.

Published online on Thursday, Nov. 06, 2008

Republican Danny Gilmore likes his chances for becoming the new state Assembly representative for the 30th District.

He just isn't ready to declare victory yet.

"I feel good about our position, but I'm cautiously optimistic," Gilmore said.

Gilmore, a retired highway patrol officer from Hanford, continued to hold a slight lead Wednesday over Democrat Fran Florez, mother of state Sen. Dean Florez. Gilmore had 51.7% of the vote compared with 48.3% for Florez as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Florez camp was not ready to concede, with thousands of ballots still uncounted in the four counties of the 30th District.

The district covers Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties. As many as 100,000 absentee or provisional ballots in those counties remain uncounted Wednesday, election officials said. However, it's unknown how many of those ballots include the 30th District race.

"Once we get our arms around those numbers, then we'll make a decision on what strategy to follow," said Bob Sanders, Florez's campaign manager.

Kings County supervisors

Richard Fagundes defeated three-term incumbent Alene Taylor in the Kings County Board of Supervisors election for District 5 this week, benefiting from a community controversy over a proposed prison in Hanford that Taylor supported.

But few were as surprised by the victory as Fagundes, 67, a retired farm manager who had never run for office before.

"This was a year for change, let me tell you that," Fagundes said. "I was well pleased. I had a lot of support, especially in the last two weeks."

Taylor said her support for a state prison re-entry facility for prisoners nearing parole cost her votes.

"I was on the right side of the right argument at the wrong time," Taylor said.

It's a project she still supports. Kings County would get $30 million from the state for helping find a site.

In District 2, Richard Valle of Corcoran, district director for Assembly Member Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, will become an elected official in his own right. He bested Terry Kwast of Corcoran to fill a seat now held by Jon Rachford, who decided not to seek re-election.

Valle and Fagundes start in January.

Hanford City Council

In the Hanford City Council race, incumbent Dan Chin in District C was elected to a third term, getting more than half the vote against two challengers. Chin said his goals are downtown revitalization and writing a new General Plan.

In District B, Sue Sorensen was elected from a field of four. It's her first term, replacing incumbent Marcie Buford, who did not seek re-election.

Coalinga City Council

Challenger K. William Bourdeau and incumbent Ron Lander were elected to two open seats for the Coalinga City Council.

Mayor Trish Hill finished fourth in the five-person race.

The southwest Fresno County town has been embroiled in controversy in recent years over the council's firing of the city manager, who refused to fire the police chief.

Bourdeau and Lander said building unity in the community will be one of the council's priorities.

"I think we need to get past the divisions," Bourdeau said.

Tulare City Council

Tulare voters elected incumbents Philip Vandegrift and Craig Vejvoda and newcomer Wayne Ross in a four-man race for three open City Council seats.

Incumbent Carlton Jones, seeking his second term, finished fourth.

Ross, who operates his own investment management company, said the city's immediate challenges are managing growth and dealing with less money from the state.

"We need to make sure we spend our money wisely and it goes as far as possible," Ross said.