Imperial County midterm election reaction

With more than 8,000 ballots yet to be counted in Imperial County, some races are still too close to call.

One of those races is the Imperial County District Supervisor District 1 that may end as an upset. After eight years in the position, John Renison currently finds himself behind candidate Jesus Eduardo Escobar.

The incumbent district supervisor said he’s keeping a positive outlook until all the votes are accounted for.

“At this time it’s a little bit too early. Like I said, the 167 votes is a margin to catch up to. And we’ll just see. We’ll just hope for the best,” Renison said.

Candidate Jesus Eduardo Escobar said the preliminary results speak for themselves and that residents are asking for a change in leadership.

Escobar said, “Well I think they believe in me and they’re looking for a change. They believe in me. They understand the platform. Again economic development and job creation. That’s very important for our community, for our county, for my district.”

For the El Centro City Council race, two seats are up for grabs. Tomas Olivas, one of the top vote-getters, said residents saw how he could help the community.

“Residents of the city of El Centro saw that I was persistent. That I persevered. That I really wanted to do this on their behalf. I want to be there voice on the council and that my heart’s in the right place,” said Olivas.

Incumbent Cheryl Viegas Walker said voters believed in the vision of the current city council.

“The voters that voted for me validated that we as a council, we as a team, are moving in the right direction. And that we are truly serving the best interest of the city of El Centro,” Walker said.