In a race which stretched 3 weeks beyond election day, conservative Ed Gallo has taken a decisive 39-vote lead over 18-year incumbent Lori Holt Pfeiler for the final undecided Escondido council seat.
SD Rostra estimates less than 100 ballots remain to be checked in Escondido. Among the 144 ballots which were added today, Gallo took 81 to Holt Pfeiler’s 63. That boosted his edge from the 21-vote margin last Friday.
This is a major comeback for former councilman Gallo, who most believe will ally himself with Marie Waldron and Mayor-elect Sam Abed. Abed’s council seat will become vacant when he takes the Mayor’s gavel in January. Marie Waldron (a Rostra regular), Gallo and Abed may have the votes to appoint Abed’s council successor. Marie Waldron easily won the other at-large council seat with 11,945 votes
This is also another key win for the Republican Party of San Diego and chairman Tony Krvaric. The Party sent its trademark over-sized slate card to Escondido Republicans, with great effect. Sam Abed credited that mailer with being the “turning point’ in his mayoral victory, and it also aided Waldron and Gallo.
Congratulations to Ed Gallo and Lori Holt Pfeiler for showing a tough, competitive race can be handled with class and dignity.
Comments 4
Longest count I remember in Escondido. It was amazing how the numbers ebbed and flowed. That usually doesn’t happen. Pfeiler certainly has alot of support in this town, even when she is not running for mayor! All the best to Ed Gallo.
As Lori Pfeiler just found out, sometimes just being a glib RINO Republican in a conservative area simply ain’t enough. Hopefully REAL Republican Ed Gallo swings the council vote to a more fiscally responsible city government.
Still to come is the appointment of Sam Abed’s successor on the council. I’m afraid they may appoint Lori, rather than solidifying their fiscal conservative majority. My preference? Little known dark horse Joe Bologna, an also-ran in the race for mayor.
But not to worry for Lori. If she doesn’t get appointed to the city council, chances are she’ll pick up a high-paying appointive position — perhaps with the HSR authority so she can continue to tout the madness of bullet trains that will do nothing but drive California deeper into a fiscal black hole.
Lori Pfeiler or Joe Balogna appointed??
Never happen….
.
I have no inside sources on this, but agree with
Doc Holliday that a Holt Pfeiler appointment is
unlikely.
Like most office holders who leave office for a
while, Mayor Holt Pfeiler may discover how nice
it is to have a little peace and quiet for a change.
While disagreeing with her on some things, I
respect the steady, consistent way she has
steered her own middle course over time.