MARCH 3 PRIMARY – SUPERVISOR RACE RESULTS: Pareira Looks Forward To Four More Years In District 4

In District 1 — an election night nail-biter.

In District 2 — two top candidates emerge in a hotly contested race. 

And in District 4 — incumbent Merced County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira is sittin’ pretty.

“I’m grateful the voters of District 4 have given me the honor of serving them for another 4 years,” an excited Pareira told the Times on Tuesday night. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to work on our roads, jobs and public safety.”

It was like déjà vu for Supervisor Pareira, who found himself surrounded by lively supporters at a packed house inside Hilmar’s favorite Javi’s Mexican Restaurant  — just like in 2016 when he won the first time.

As of Wednesday morning before the Times presses started to roll, Pareira was far ahead of his challenger Mario Mendoza, a trustee on the Merced College Board. Only 39.2 percent of the precincts were reported, but Pareira had a commanding 71.9 percent of the votes in the race, compared to 27.4 percent garnered by Mendoza. 

District 4 spans from Snelling to Winton to Delhi to Hilmar to Gustine. 

“I’m feeling great,” he said above the noise at Javi’s. “I feel the result we are seeing tonight is a direct result of the work we have been doing for the district. It feels really good.”

Among the well-wishers at the party was none other than a smiling State Assemblyman Adam Gray, who by the way, is enjoying a 91.4 percent approval vote so far in his District 21 race total for Merced County.

“Lloyd is doing a good job,” he told the Times. “As you know I’ve been working really hard on the homeless issues facing the region, and we’re making progress. And the supervisor’s leadership in this area has made all the difference.”

It’s looking like Lor vs. Pedrozo

Meanwhile, back in Merced, some separation began to take place between the three challengers and one incumbent in the District 2 supervisorial race covering most of the city and the area around UC Merced. 

Early results showed Supervisor Lee Lor surging ahead with nearly 39 percent of the votes with 66.1 percent of the precincts reporting. 

However, Lor needs more than 50 percent of the vote to win the contest outright and avoid a runoff. Standing in her way is the determined Josh Pedrozo — a twice-elected Merced City Councilman and Merced High School teacher. As of Wednesday morning, Pedrozo was dialed into a runoff with 29.2 percent of the vote.

“I’m excited,” Pedrozo said in the midst of a packed Bella Luna Bistro banquet room. “I feel my team and I have done a good job presenting our vision to voters. I think you can see from the results, voters are trusting in my record for producing positive results and getting things done to improve the quality of life in Merced and across the county.”

If the early voting result trend continues in the District 2 race, the city might be in store for an extremely tight runoff in November between two popular candidates. 

As usual, Valley Chef Vinnie DeAngelo had quite the cuisine spread at the Pedrozo party, and dozens of supporters were enjoying good times there. It was a diverse crowd with plenty of members of the “who’s who” in regional business, agriculture and politics. 

Just a few blocks away, District 2 challenger Angel Barragan was with his base at the old Mansion House restaurant location, which is now a private residence in the heart of downtown Merced. 

Barragan, a Yosemite Church pastor and dean of students at Stoneridge Christian School, claimed 17.9 percent of the vote as of Wednesday morning.

The candidate is known for his rags to education story — growing up in poverty, working in construction, and finding advancement in life through Merced College and UC Merced.  

“I think a lot of people related to my story, being from here, building myself in this district and in this county, and getting to where I’m at today,” he told the Times. “Certainly being able to overcome adversity was a message that a lot of people related to, so I think that was a strength. …I think it speaks to the heart of our county and the people of our county, that we’re resilient, we are committed, we are individuals that want to make the best of our situations. I really feel that that’s the case for the majority of people in District 2 and in Merced County, and I think there’s a lot of mutual respect that I have with people and people have with me.”

Across town, District 2 challenger Ricky Aguilera held a backyard fiesta with dozens and dozens of his supporters, friends, and family members. It was complete with a full-service taco stand, news alerts on a big screen TV, and an outdoor fire pit to warm everyone. 

Aguilera, the general manager of Merced Indoor Sports Center, remains in fourth place, at 13.5 percent of the vote.

“I feel like I spent a lot of time [on the campaign] and I appreciate my family for understanding more than anything, because I had to spend a lot of time away from my family, and I’m just blessed that we still held everything together and they support me 100 percent. … But all the time, all the money, everything, the whole experience for me, to me, this is priceless. This is something that no matter what happens, I think I’ve become a better person, and I just love the experience overall, and more than anything I just love the support from the community. It reassures me that I’m on the right path.”

District 2 candidate Ricky Aguilera celebrates with his supporters during a party at a family home in north Merced.

District 2 candidate Angel Barragan looks at election results along with a campaign supporter at a gathering inside the Mansion House in downtown Merced.

Alshami vs. Espinoza way too close to call

District 1 remains an extremely tight race, with incumbent Supervisor Rodrigo Espinoza and drug and alcohol counselor Sonia Alshami neck and neck in the early election results.

It was an amazing surprise for some. Several local political pundits who spoke to the Times did not predict a close race in District 1 — where a seasoned politician was going up against a newcomer. Espinoza has been a two-term mayor and a two-term city councilman in Livingston. Alshami has never held an elected position in local government. 

Before press time, it was Espinoza leading at 51.5 percent, and Alshami right behind with 47.2 percent. 

District 1 stretches from Le Grand to Planada to El Nido to south Merced to Livingston.

“I’m feeling very positive,” Espinoza told the Times at his party inside CG&E Auto Body on Main Street. “I think I’ve got a lot of support.

The supervisor says he is already looking at work ahead that needs to be done for the county.

“I get a lot of calls about the roads and water and infrastructure, and you know with Castle, trying to get more businesses in there, because we need more attention to Castle. We’ve got so much ground there, more industry needs to come in to bring more business. Especially right now, as we’re growing so much. … And I think that with Livingston doing the General Plan over there, I think they’re looking forward to that, but it still has years to go.

They want more commercial and more industry and more business over there, and we’re looking forward to finishing that off. …

“There’s other projects around town, around the county. I’m trying to make sure they fix the roads around the communities. Whatever attention they can give to the small communities.”

As for Alshami, she was all smiles with friends and supporters at Cova’s Great American Food restaurant.

“I’m just excited about getting out in the community — full time,” she told the Times. “It’s been an emotional roller coaster. You have good days, you have bad days, but you need the bad to appreciate the good. Life doesn’t stop, it’s just like a train.” 

About the election results, she added: “I’m optimistic.”

Stay tuned … The county’s Elections office is indicating that ballot counting will continue for days ahead … and it’s not over until it’s over. 

District 1 Merced County Supervisor Rodrigo Espinoza talks to supporters as a mariachi band plays in the foreground at G&E Auto Body on Main Street.

District 1 challenger Sonia Alshami, at far right, with friends at her campaign watch party at Cova’s restaurant in Merced.

State Assemblyman Adam Gray and County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira at the Election Night party in Hilmar.

Mike and Marco Gallo, John Pedrozo and Ralph Fagundes pose for a picture during a campaign party inside Bella Luna Bistro on Main Street in Merced.