SOME races remain undecided locally (Shutterstock).
By a staff writer
In an increasingly tight race – as ballots were still being counted Friday evening – three conservative incumbents on the Huntington Beach City Council clung to small leads in the Nov. 3 election.
Four seats are being contested.
The latest results show Mayor Casey McKeon with 37,932 votes (12.51 percent), followed by Councilmembers Pat Burns with 36,915 votes (12.17 percent) and Andrew Gruel with 35,399 votes (11.67 percent).
But close behind, in positions fourth, fifth and sixth are members of the liberal “Surf City Four,” Ben Davis, Erin Spivey, and Taryn Taddeo Palumbo.
They have 35,356 (11.66 percent), 35,293 (11.64 percent) and 34,583 (11.41 percent).
In other races of local interest, Democrat Paula Swift has won an apparent victory over incumbent Republican Tri Ta in the contest for the 70th State Assembly District seat.
Ta was a long-serving mayor of Westminster before being elected to the Assembly in 2022. Swift has 52.09 percent (78,573 votes) to Ta’s 47.91 percent (72,266 votes).
In the 72th Assembly District contest, Democrat Chris Kluwe is leading Republican Gracey Van Der Mark by 50.17 percent to 49.83 percent, a vote margin of 757 votes.
Van Der Mark is a member of the Huntington Beach City Council.
