Silva, Moorlach win primaries

Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva held on to a 10.3% lead over his nearest rival, Cypress City Councilman Mike McGill, in the 67th District state Assembly race to win the Republican primary, according to final unofficial results released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters.

“It’s over, and I’m very excited about that,” Silva said at his Huntington Harbour waterfront home, where about 100 guests gathered for the election party Tuesday . Silva was the favorite to win, having built formidable name recognition and endorsements during his time in elected office.

“The first thing we did was get the endorsements, then we got the money and the campaign followed,” Silva said.

Silva is a former Huntington Beach mayor and is serving his third and final term as Orange County supervisor from the 2nd District. Adam Probolsky, a Republican pollster from Laguna Hills, pegged Silva as the winner with a “pretty good margin,” thanks to his long service in the community.

McGill whittled down Silva’s earlier lead of 15% to about 10% to garner 10,955 votes out of the 31,770 votes cast, or 34.5%. Silva got 14,237 votes, or 44.8%, and Dianne Harman trailed with 6,578 votes, at 20.7%.

Results from all 327 precincts in the district have been counted. Silva established his lead in the first cycle of counting absentee ballots and has maintained it.

Said McGill earlier Tuesday about the race results, “Those are tea leaves I can’t read. To quote Alan Greenspan, we’re ‘cautiously optimistic.’” But Wednesday morning, McGill gracefully conceded defeat.

“It appears Mr. Silva has won,” McGill said. “My hat’s off to him ? he ran a more effective campaign.”

McGill said he wouldn’t change one thing in his campaign if he could: “I won’t Monday-night quarterback on this. You give it your best and you let it go.”

The fight between Silva and McGill turned ugly toward the end, with Silva accusing McGill of running a campaign based on lies. McGill in turn accused Silva of voting for a county union pension plan that had brought back the specter of a bankruptcy for the county. McGill’s efforts in walking almost half of the district helped bring up his numbers, he said, although he was concerned about voter fatigue.

The former Marine was apparently able to throw off the disadvantages of having a small constituency of the 67th District ? Cypress ? and making a late entrance into the race.

McGill ran a very good campaign, Probolsky said. “He’s looked at as a rising star in the Republican party and may very well see him in higher elected office.”

Probolsky had endorsed Silva for the race.

The 67th Assembly District includes Alamitos, Anaheim, Cypress, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Stanton and Westminster.

Dianne Harman didn’t return phone calls for comment Wednesday. “If not two, there’ll be at least one person who will be going to Sacramento,” Harman said on Tuesday evening.

Her husband Tom Harman, who holds the 67th District Assembly seat, won the race for the 35th District state Senate seat according to final unofficial results. The Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley hopes to certify the final election results by June 16.

In the end, name recognition for her husband could not compensate for her lack of political experience.

Harman’s environmental stance coupled with a long history in Huntington Beach, brought her solid support from Huntington Beach Tomorrow, Mayor Dave Sullivan, Councilwoman Debbie Cook and members of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust.

But the low voter turnout helped better the challengers’ chances, in this case McGill’s and Harman’s, Probolsky said. “But name identification is a very important factor, and helped Silva carry the day.”

Two of the three Huntington Beach City Council members who supported Silva ? Cathy Green and Gil Coerper ? attended his party along with City Attorney Jennifer McGrath.

“I think it’s super,” Coerper said of Silva’s lead. “I had hoped it would be higher.”

Silva did some admirable things, such as working on the county’s 1994 bankruptcy, and he believes in education, McGrath said.

Silva will face Democrat and retired Huntington Beach businessman Ray Roberts in November elections. Silva is expected to win, as the district is predominantly Republican.

Silva said the only disadvantage of working in Sacramento is “being a Republican and working in an Assembly controlled by Democrats” in a previous interview.

About what’s next in store for McGill: “All options are open.”

“I’ll be around,” he said.

FINAL UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

Name; Number of votes; Percentage

Orange County Supervisor, 2nd District

John Moorlach; 54,018 ; 69.5%

David Shawver; 23,668 ; 30.5%

67th District Assembly, Republican

Jim Silva; 14,237 ; 44.8%

Mike McGill; 10,955 ; 34.5%

Dianne Harman; 6,578 ; 20.7%

67th District Assembly, Democratic

Ray Roberts; 15,857 ; 100%

? from the Orange County Registrar of Votershbi-08-silva1-dl-CPhotoInfoG31RO9R120060608j0i9kyncDON LEACH / INDEPENDENT(LA)Jim Silva, who won the 67th district state Assembly seat race, is congratulated by supporters during an election party at his home in Huntington Beach.