Republican Mayor John McCann cruised to re-election in San Diego County’s second-largest city, but the two Republican-backed challengers for City Council seats were defeated by the Democratic-leaning incumbents, leaving the Council’s four-member Democratic majority intact.
John McCann
Unofficial results from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters show McCann defeating Chula Vista Elementary School District Trustee Francisco Tamayo by roughly 13.5 points. McCann received 45,903 votes (56.6 percent) to Tamayo’s 35,239 (43.4 percent). Tamayo, who had the backing of the San Diego County Democratic Party and labor groups, conceded shortly after election night.
The outcome was different on the council side. In District 1, incumbent Democrat Carolina Chavez defeated certified public accountant and small-business owner Greg Martinez, 12,663 votes (58.0 percent) to 9,189 (42.1 percent).
Carolina Chavez
In the closer District 2 race, incumbent Jose Preciado held off educator and parent Angelica Martinez, 9,546 votes (52.9 percent) to 8,511 (47.1 percent).
Jose Preciado
Both Republican candidates, not related, received the endorsement of the San Diego County Republican Party and Reform California headed by State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio.
City Council races in California are officially nonpartisan, but party affiliations and endorsements have long shaped local contests in Chula Vista, a city with a nearly two-to-one Democratic Party registration advantage and a large Latino population.
McCann, a Navy Reserves veteran, real-estate professional, and longtime local officeholder, has repeatedly won citywide and district races despite the City’s partisan lean. He has emphasized fiscal restraint, public safety, infrastructure, and continued bayfront development.
The San Diego Union-Tribune endorsed McCann for a second term, citing his ability to work across party lines—including joining Democratic council members earlier this year to reject a controversial package of charter amendments that included a large proposed raise for council members and changes to term limits.
Chavez, first elected in 2022, chairs the City’s Economic Development and Binational Affairs Committee and has focused on local economic issues and regional representation.
Preciado, also first elected in 2022, works at San Diego State University, serves on the California Coastal Commission, and has highlighted public safety staffing, housing, and neighborhood improvements during his term. Both were endorsed by the county Democratic Party and public-safety unions.
The results preserve a council structure in which McCann, the sole Republican on the dais, continues to work with a Democratic majority that includes Chavez, Preciado, District 3 Councilmember Michael Inzunza, and District 4 Councilmember Cesar Fernandez.
Voters in Chula Vista appeared to separate their support for the Republican Mayor from the council races. While McCann’s personal appeal and record of cross-aisle governance proved durable citywide, the two Republican challengers—political newcomers running on themes of transparency, affordability, and opposition to special-interest influence—could not overcome the incumbents’ advantages in name recognition, organization, and the city’s overall political makeup.
Results remain unofficial until the county completes its canvass and the state certifies the election. With the leads in all three races clear and stable through later counts, the composition of Chula Vista’s leadership for the next four years is effectively set: a re-elected Republican mayor and a continuing Democratic majority on the City Council.
Democrat City Attorney Marco Verdugo ran for re-election unopposed after having won a special election for the position in March 2024.
