Dianne Jacob Retains District 2 County Supervisor Seat

Updated at 7:50 a.m. June 6, 2012

Dianne Jacob will retain her 2nd District seat on the county Board of Supervisors after an overwhelming victory in Tuesday's primary election.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, she had 77.7 percent of the vote to 22.3 percent for challenger Rudy Reyes.

In the June 2008 election, the same two faced off—with nearly the same results. Jacob is a Republican and Reyes a Democrat, but the race is considered nonpartisan.

Incumbent Jacob, a Helix High School graduate, is 72 and will serve her sixth four-year term. Reyes is 34 and also has run for Santee City Council.

Jacob was first elected in 1992, and recently has gained notice for her vocal criticism of San Diego Gas and Electric Co.—fighting the utility’s proposal to charge ratepayers for the costs of the 2007 wildfires, which were caused by SDG&E infrastructure.

Jacob is a former elementary school teacher. She spent 17 years as a board member of the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District, 10 years on the board of the California School Boards Association and four years as a member of the San Diego County Planning Commission. 

According to a Pomerado News report:

Jacob said she is seeking a sixth term “for the very same reason I sought the job the first time. I genuinely like helping people. Whether it’s helping one constituent navigate the building department or fighting an unfair tax proposed for thousands of constituents, it’s my mission to see that government works for, not against, the people. That means making the bureaucracy accountable to the people that pay the bills — taxpayers.”

The same article said of Reyes, an ordained minister certified archaeologist who survived severe facial burns in the 2003 Cedar Fire:

Reyes said personal experience inspired his run for the board. “As the worst-injured of the 2003 Cedar fires, I have seen the failure our county has regarding how (the board of supervisors) handles situations. We need new ideologies and updated technological individuals to continue to adapt to the ever technologically changing world. Current county (board members) have been in the same seat for 20 years. Outdated ideas and no comprehension of current technologies, causing a big problem for our county.”

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