(Updated February 1, 2020)

Long-time local elected official Greg Cox is now serving his last year in office on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, and five candidates are campaigning to replace him as the First District Supervisor representing the areas of San Diego County from Point Loma, downtown, Southeast San Diego, Bonita, Chula Vista, and the border areas.

The five candidates running to replace Cox are San Diego Port Commissioner Rafael Castellanos; Southwestern College Board Trustee Nora Vargas; California State Senator Ben Hueso; Sophia Rodriguez, a county employee in the Health and Human Services agency; and Alex Galicia, an Army and Navy veterans and small businessman.

Regardless of which candidate ultimately wins the General Election in November, one thing is for certain; the new County Supervisor will be a Latino or Latina.

Cox was recently selected by his Board colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Board during his last year in office. Cox has served on the Board since 1995, when he was appointed to fill the vacancy left when then-Supervisor Brian Bilbray was elected to Congress. Cox was elected to a full term in 1996, and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Under term limits passed by voters in 2010, Supervisors can now only serve two, four-year terms.

Prior to serving on the Board, Cox served on the Chula Vista City Council and two terms as Mayor.

La Prensa San Diego will feature each candidate in upcoming stories, as well as a profile of Supervisor Cox’s long career in San Diego politics.