Election result: Three leading for Sacramento mayor in early returns. Here’s who’s ahead
Sacramento mayoral candidates Dr. Richard Pan, Steve Hansen and Kevin McCarty are leading in early returns Tuesday to replace Darrell Steinberg, but it’s too early to tell which two will advance to the November election.
Pan and Hansen both have 23.6% of the vote, separated by just four votes as of the county’s most recent batch of results posted just before midnight Tuesday. McCarty has 23.2% and Flojaune Cofer has 21.2%.
Just 808 votes separate Pan from Cofer in the tightest primary race this time around in the four-county region.
After the county counts all the ballots in the coming weeks, the top two candidates will advance to the Nov. 5 general election. The county will release the next batch of results Friday afternoon.
Pan’s watch party of about a dozen supporters at a North Natomas restaurant was celebratory when the first results were posted to the county’s website just after 8 p.m.
Sen. Angelique Ashby was standing next to Pan, looking at her phone. “You’re in first place!” she yelled.
“We’ll see what it’s like tomorrow, but my guess is we’ll be counting for a while,” said Pan, a former state senator. “It’s great to be first even if it’s just a little bit.”
McCarty’s watch party at The Green Room in East Sacramento was attended by about two dozen supporters, including Councilwomen Karina Talamantes and Caity Maple.
McCarty showed up after the first results were released and was met with a loud eruption of cheers.
“This is the first quarter of a long game,” McCarty said. “I’m a sports guy.”
Steinberg, who’s been mayor since 2016, showed up to McCarty’s event to support him.
“I haven’t officially endorsed in the race, but Kevin’s an old friend and I wanted to come by and say, ‘Great job,’” Steinberg said. “I think that the future of the city is bright.”
At a midtown restaurant, Hansen was confident after seeing the early results.
“I know we’re going to win this,” Hansen said. “I’m grateful to my family for letting me do this. I’m here to tell you I believe in Sacramento. The work isn’t done because the counting isn’t done. We love this city. We have to fight for this city. If we fight hard — this is a great American city. The city will be more vibrant than ever because of you.”
Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan, who was among the approximately 60 that attended the party, said it would be her honor to serve with Hansen.
The early results, which placed Cofer in fourth, did not put a damper on her watch party, where over 100 supporters chanted “go with Flo” as they gathered to cheer on the most progressive mayoral candidate.
“It’s kind of what we expected because a lot of our voters are younger voters who are going to turn up on election so we are excited to see what the results say when we see the entire picture,” said Cofer.
She said that the early results only counted ballots turned in before Tuesday and remained cautiously optimistic.
“I don’t feel down bad about it because there’s nothing less important in life than the score at halftime,” Cofer said.
Cofer received endorsements from the Sacramento City Teachers Association and SEIU 1021. Hansen, the most moderate candidate, received endorsements from the Sacramento Police Officer Association, and Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Pan, the second most moderate, is endorsed by Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho. McCarty is endorsed by the Sacramento Central Labor Council and Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522.
The four-year term starts Dec. 10.
The Bee’s Stephen Hobbs, Maya Miller, Darrell Smith and Mathew Miranda contributed to this report.
