Von Wilpert flips 48th House District, incumbents cruise to victory

SAN MARCOS — Democratic San Diego City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert has taken the 48th U.S. House District seat with an insurmountable lead over Republican county Supervisor Jim Desmond.

Von Wilpert had 102,132 votes, or 59.44%, to 69,686 votes, or 40.56%, for Desmond, as of Thursday nite. There are still tens of thousands of ballots likely left to be counted in the race.

“Tonight, the voters of this district sent a clear message — they’ve had enough of a corrupt Congress and out-of-control costs and are ready for a representative who will fight for them,” von Wilpert said in a message to supporters late Tuesday. “I’ve heard from parents who can’t afford to put food on the table and seniors who are afraid of losing health care for the last year, and I will carry their stories with me to Washington.

“I’ve spent my life fighting for working families, from defending workers’ rights to standing up to the big corporations that are ripping off our families, and I’m ready to take that fight to Congress. I’ll work to bring down the costs that are crushing the middle class, protect the health care we all rely on, and clean up the corruption that’s preventing Washington from working for the rest of us. This includes holding Donald Trump accountable, and reining in his chaos agenda,” she said.

Von Wilpert takes the seat of Rep. Darrell Issa. Issa, who had previously represented the 48th District, which includes parts of San Diego and Riverside counties, announced his retirement earlier this year. Following passage of Proposition 50, its lines were redrawn and it has been identified as a key swing district.

The reshaped 48th District encompasses North County cities of San Marcos and Vista and parts of Escondido and Oceanside. It also extends into Riverside County, including Temecula, Hemet, Palm Springs and Indian Wells.

Four incumbents in the San Diego County congressional delegation won their elections easily.

Democratic incumbent Mike Levin won the 49th District, which includes North County and southern Orange County, with 57.72% of the vote over Republican candidate Armen Kurdian, who received 42.28%. Levin received 129,312 votes, Kurdian 94,738.

Levin has been serving the 49th District since 2019.

Democrat Scott Peters faces Republican challenger Steve Cohen in the 50th District, which includes coastal San Diego and extends north to San Marcos and Escondido. Peters captured 61.45% of the vote, or 125,988 ballots, compared with Cohen’s 38.55%, or 79,053.

Peters has been in Congress since 2013.

In the 51st District, which stretches from central San Diego into parts of East County, including El Cajon, La Mesa and Spring Valley, Democratic incumbent Sara Jacobs had 63.45%, to 36.55% for Republican challenger Ricardo Cabrera. Cabrera received 67,348 votes, compared to Jacobs’ 116,892.

Jacobs is entering his fourth term in office.

In the 52nd District in southern San Diego County, Democratic incumbent Juan Vargas was ahead of Republican Jeff Belle, 69.21 percent to 30.79 percent. Vargas received 96,581 votes to Belle’s 42,963.

Vargas has been in Congress since 2013 and served in the state Senate, state Assembly and San Diego City Council.