San Bernardino Election Results

Last night’s elections in San Bernardino ended in a tumultuous grand finale fiasco that will leave people scratching their heads for weeks to come.

The recall election batted 2 for 3, recalling both City Attorney Jim Penman and his close ally on the City Council Wendy McCammack.  Councilman John Valdivia escaped unharmed as predicted.  Local Attorney Gary Saenz was elected on the recall ballot to replace Penman besting perennial candidate Tim Prince.

McCammack will be replaced on the Council by her former opponent from numerous elections Jim Mulvihill, a current City Planning Commissioner and retired California State University, San Bernardino Professor.

In another twist of fate, Wendy McCammack finished first in the Mayoral Primary and will face Carey Davis, a Certified Public Accountant in the runoff in February.  Expect a heated but lopsided election as McCammack, the successfully recalled and longest current serving City Council Member, faces heavily favored outsider and virtually unknown, Davis.

McCammack will be portrayed by her opponent as the person responsible for San Bernardino’s economic collapse and bankruptcy, and as the continuance of the recalled Jim Penman regime.  McCammack’s only recourse will be to portray Davis as the reincarnation of the arrogant and failed Pat Morris era and highlight Morris’s direct financial support of Davis (which most likely will not be enough).  Look for this race to end in a 60 to 40 percent win for Davis in February.

In the Council races, 1^st Ward Councilwoman Virginia Marquez easily defeated two challengers, former Mayor Morris aide Casey Dailey and John Abad.

In the 2^nd Ward, recently indicted, first term Councilmember Robert Jenkins was defeated by unknown, last-minute candidate Robert Barrios by a 100 vote margin.  Jenkins loss can be attributed to the nearly unbelievable charges (covered in great detail in our earlier article) and the last minute bombardment of coverage of those charges on AM 590, KTIE over the last week.  Barrios did not campaign until the last week of the election.

The 4^th Ward election will go to a runoff between twice elected Councilman Fred Shorett and Realtor Anthony Jones.  Expect this race to be heavily targeted as Shorett has openly attempted to contract out Police and Fire Services and has in the past agreed to close fire stations in his ward.  For those unfamiliar with the ward boundaries, the 4^th Ward encompasses both the Panorama and Old Fire areas in the San Bernardino Foothills.  Newcomer Anthony Jones will have an uphill fight, but with the air cleared from the recall and the anti-incumbency mood of voters, expect this to be a toss-up.