Genis, Stephens, Mansoor lead in Costa Mesa council election
As results came in Tuesday night, one incumbent found herself atop the field and one found himself on the outside looking in in the race for three seats on the Costa Mesa City Council.
As of 11:30 p.m., Councilwoman Sandy Genis had received the most votes out of the seven candidates running for the council this year.
The Mesa Verde resident finished with the most votes during her last campaign in 2012.
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The results, with 63 out of 66 precincts reporting, didn’t paint as rosy a picture for Mayor Steve Mensinger, the second incumbent running for reelection.
Mensinger, who couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday night, was running behind the top three vote-getters.
Reached by phone earlier Tuesday night, Genis said she’s “feeling good about the results.”
“It’s looking like we’re going to have a change,” she said, referring to the balance of power on the five-member council.
That’s because one of her allies, attorney and fellow Mesa Verde resident John Stephens, was running just behind her, according to earlier results.
Staking a claim to the third available seat was former state Assembly member Allan Mansoor, who served on the council from 2002 to 2010.
Should the results hold, Genis and Stephens would be able to form a new council majority along with Councilwoman Katrina Foley — wresting power from the current majority of Mensinger, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer and Councilman Gary Monahan, who is termed out this year and unable to run for reelection.
“Of course, our entire objective is to get a new council majority, so that would be terrific,” Stephens said.
Stephens said at that time that his plan was to “just stay positive and hope for the best.”
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Stephens and Genis collaborated on their campaigns along with candidate Jay Humphrey, a former councilman who was nipping at Mensinger’s heels in the early going.
Mansoor, who worked during the campaign with Mensinger and Eastside resident Lee Ramos on a slate dubbed “Team Costa Mesa,” said he hoped Mensinger’s position would improve as more results were tallied.
“Regardless of who wins, we’ve got a lot of important issues to address, and that’s what I’ll do if I get on the council,” Mansoor said.
As of 11:30 p.m., Ramos was a distant sixth in the balloting. He finished fourth in a field of eight candidates when he last ran in 2014.
Al Melone, a State Streets resident who was mounting a third bid for council, brought up the rear in the tally. Melone did not actively campaign this year.
Humphrey and Stephens were looking to reverse their fortunes after razor-thin losses in previous elections.
Stephens came within 155 votes of knocking off Monahan in 2012, and Humphrey finished 47 votes behind Righeimer in 2014.
“I would like to see Jay move up,” Genis said Tuesday night. “But I do hope the part with me and John getting in holds.”
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Luke Money, lucas.money@latimes.com
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
