Monica Montgomery Steppe took a commanding lead in the race for the District 4 County Supervisor seat, according to early results, which her opponent acknowledged on Wednesday.
The District 4 seat has been vacant for six months after Nathan Fletcher resigned from the job following sexual assault allegations. Since then, the remaining four supervisors on the county board have been split evenly along party lines - two Republican supervisors: Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond; and two Democratic Supervisors: Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer.
Montgomery Steppe is currently a San Diego City Councilmember representing District 4. Her term ends in December of 2026, so a special election will likely take place to fill that vacancy. If her majority holds up, Montgomery Steppe will take the oath of office for her new job as Supervisor on Dec. 5. In a statement to her supporters on Tuesday night, Montgomery Steppe said that she is looking forward to tackling homelessness, promoting holistic public safety and investing in our county.
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Montgomery Steppe could become the first Black woman to serve on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
"I think being the first African American woman on the Board of Supervisors gives you a different lens and I think it's very unique, very different number one. Number two, she is also an attorney, she is also someone who has that local government experience that I think is super important," said Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Nora Vargas.
In a statement released Wednesday, Reichart said based on current tallies, victory in the race is a long shot.
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"While the results may indicate that victory in this election remains unattainable, my resolve to enhance the prosperity of San Diego County remains resolute," her statement read in part.
The results won't become official until the San Diego County Registrar of Voters certifies the tally, which must be completed by Dec. 9, 2023.
Chair Vargas said she's looking forward to prioritizing a progressive agenda now that the Democrats have the majority on the board. She says the first item she hopes to tackle is restarting the process of hiring a new County Administrative Officer, which was put on hold after Fletcher resigned.
