TONY STRICKLAND, Huntington Beach councilmember (OC Tribune mayor).

Tony Strickland, a former state senator hoping to return to the upper house of the California Legislature, remains atop the field in a special election to fill a vacant seat in the 36th Senate District.

Strickland, a Republican now serving as a member of the Huntington Beach City Council, is leading with 80,504 votes as of Friday afternoon, according to the California Secretary of State’s Office.

Perhaps just as important, his vote total is 51.3 percent. If he can continue to tally 50 percent of the ballots cast – plus one – he can avoid a runoff election between himself and the second-highest vote getter.

For the present, that’s Democrat Jimmy Pham, who’s received 43,618 votes (27.7 percent) so far. In third is Julie Diep, also a Democrat, who has 22,572 votes (14.3 percent) and in last is Republican John Briscoe with 10,539 votes (8.7 percent).

The 36th District seat – which covers much of coastal and western Orange County as well as a small part of Los Angeles County – is vacant because Janet Nguyen resigned her seat after she was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, representing the First District.

Strickland last served in the Senate from 2008 to 2012 and in the Assembly from 1998 to 2004.
Election results will be certified by March 6.