Former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio holds a strong lead over moderate Republican challenger Andrew Hayes in the contentious race for the 75th Assembly District, which includes Poway and much of East and inland North County.
Despite losing the confidence of the county GOP, DeMaio has surged ahead, capturing 60.0% of the vote against Hayes, who had secured the party’s endorsement.
Hayes, a business owner and the president of the Lakeside Union School District Board of Trustees, was endorsed by both the state and county Republican Party organizations. DeMaio, also a Republican, heads the conservative political action committee Reform California.
Last week, a bipartisan group of current and former elected officials and community leaders issued an “anti-endorsement” of DeMaio, backing Hayes in the race.
Shortly after, three San Diego County Republican officials including Rep. Darrell Issa, State Sen. Brian Jones and Supervisor Joel Anderson, called for an investigation into DeMaio’s campaign, alleging misuse of funds from his Reform California PAC.
Winner of the 75th District Assembly seat will succeed Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, R-Valley Center, who is barred from running for reelection because of term limits.
