Voices Of The Voters: Chula Vista Mayor's Race Top Of Mind

By Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, the Voice of San Diego

June 7, 2022

Gabriel Guzman is ready for change.

The 60-year-old Eastlake resident is increasingly concerned about the cost of living and homelessness in Chula Vista and throughout California.

Early Tuesday morning, he stopped at a voting center at Chula Vista City Hall to vote for Republican candidates. He picked John McCann for Chula Vista mayor.

McCann is the lone Republican in the race. He’s up against fellow Councilwoman Jill Galvez, Ammar Campa-Najjar, a once congressional hopeful, community college executive Zaneta Encarnacion, former councilman Rudy Ramirez and army veteran Spencer Cash.

About 46 percent of the city’s registered voters are Democrats and 22 percent are Republicans, according to the county’s latest registration figures. Some 26 percent of Chula Vista voters are independents.

Guzman wants a leader who will address the city’s growing homeless population. He pointed to a woman lying on the grass in front of city hall, who two officers and resource workers spent nearly an hour trying to get to accept services.

“Something’s gotta change,” he said.

Residents have been talking about wanting leaders for the city who bring decades-old promises to life.

And for Nelly Cervantes that’s Campa-Najjar.

The Chula Vista resident said there’s been a lot of attacks against Campa-Najjar that claim he’s young and inexperienced, but she views his youthfulness as something positive.

“He has energy to do a lot and his heart is in it,” she said.

She saw a similar quality in another candidate: David Alvarez for Assembly District 80. She said she’s familiar with Alvarez’s work and accomplishments. Cervantes said she feels Alvarez is a genuine person who has his intentions in the right place.

“He fights for his people,” she said.

Sharon Floyd, 86, showed up to vote to support Galvez for Mayor. Floyd has lived in Chula Vista for decades and previously worked as a teacher at a local school.

“I think she’s probably the best of all of them and has the best intentions for Chula Vista and the residents,” Floyd said.

Floyd, a registered Republican, opted to vote for Galvez in the mayor’s race, but went with Republican candidates in the others, adding that she feels California is not the state it used to be.

Some voters on Tuesday had their sights set on state and federal races only.

Stanley Breaux said he paid little attention to the local races.

Breaux has lived in Chula Vista for 10 years. He was more concerned about what state leaders are doing to address environmental issues in the region. He voted for candidates who expressed interest in addressing environmental issues.

He wasn’t sure if he voted for Assembly District 80, but he said it’s important to have responsible leaders who focus on the needs of residents.

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