Bob Filner, a long time U.S. Representative from San Diego, beat out Councilman Carl DeMaio in the city’s mayoral election.
Filner garnered 51.53% of the vote to DeMaio’s 48.47%.
Though the election format is technically nonpartisan, it was a de facto partisan race, with Filner touting his Democratic credentials against DeMaio, a Republican.
DeMaio campaigned on continuing economic changes started under termed-out Mayor Jerry Sanders, who backed the councilman.
Sanders congratulated Filner in a statement saying that he looked forward to working with him to ensure a smooth transition.
“My hope is he will continue to move our city forward with the kinds of reforms that have fueled San Diego’s turn around,” Sanders said.
In the June 5 primary, Filner and DeMaio broke out of a pack of four candidates that included District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher.
If he had won, DeMaio would have become the first openly gay Republican mayor of a large U.S. city.
Filner will be inaugurated on Dec. 3.
