2017 City Primary Elections: Incumbents Dominate Race

District 7 Council Seat Still Up For Grabs; Lone Newcomer Richardson-Bailey Elected To School Board

By Gus Herrera

On Tuesday, March 7, the people of Pasadena took to the voting booths and, for the most part, decided to maintain the status quo.

Out of the seven positions in question (three city council seats and four Pasadena Unified school board seats), voters re-elected five incumbents – with potentially one more, to be decided in an April runoff.

With that said, it is important to recognize that two of the incumbents were running unopposed. Council Member John J. Kennedy, a Pasadena native, maintained his District 3 seat and will continue to serve his constituents for another four years. A highly-experienced civic leader and community organizer, Kennedy has held positions in several city departments, including finance, police, public works, and the city attorney’s office. This will be Kennedy’s second term on the Pasadena City Council.

Similarly, Scott Phelps, an experienced educator, ran unopposed and will continue his post on the PUSD School Board, serving District 7. Phelps began teaching for the PUSD in 1989 and was previously elected by his colleagues as school board president for the 2014-15 board year.

Victor Gordo. – Photo by Terry Miller

Council Member Victor Gordo, a seasoned attorney and also a proud Pasadena product, was re-elected to his District 5 seat, edging out two new candidates (Krystal Lopez Padley and Aida Morales) by a comfortable, double-digit margin. Gordo has held a seat on the council since 2001.

The third and final council seat up for grabs saw a highly competitive race and looks to be headed for an April runoff, as no candidate acquired the 50 percent necessary to seize victory. District 7 incumbent Andy Wilson holds a slight edge over newcomer Phil Hosp. Each candidate received over 1,000 votes, claiming 44 percent and 41.63 percent, respectively.

Andy Wilson. – Photo by Terry Miller

Wilson has been on the council since May 2015 and previously served on the planning commission, design commission, and is the founder of the nonprofit Innovate Pasadena.

Phil Hosp. – Courtesy photo

Attorney Phil Hosp, grew up in the Pasadena area and, after receiving a business degree, served four years as a tank officer in the U.S. Army. Hosp achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the Bronze Star after two combat tours in Iraq. The decorated officer then went on to receive a law degree from Loyola Law School.

In the PUSD School Board race, two more incumbents maintained their positions – Kimberly Kenne (District 1) and Elizabeth Pomeroy (District 5) cruised to double-digit victories, with over 1,000 votes each.

Michelle Richardson-Bailey (District 3) will be the only new member of the school board next year. Another life-long resident of Pasadena and the only African-American running for a spot on the PUSD school board, Richardson-Bailey will bring 14 years of experience as a PUSD employee to her post.

The full results, as of March 8, are listed below:

– Council District 3 – John J. Kennedy, 100 percent/730 votes.

– Council District 5 – Victor Gordo, 64.06 percent/875 votes; Krystal Lopez Padley, 32.72 percent/447 votes; Aida Morales, 3.22 percent/44 votes.

– Council District 7 – Andy Wilson, 44.03 percent/1,063 votes; Phil Hosp, 41.63 percent/1,005 votes; Alejandro Menchaca, 7.75 percent/187 votes; Bryan Witt, 3.77 percent/91 votes; Sheena Tahilramani, 2.82 percent/68 votes.

– PUSD District 1 – Kimberly Kenne, 60.23 percent/1,378 votes; Rita Miller, 39.77 percent/ 910 votes.

– PUSD District 3 – Michelle Richardson-Bailey, 60.17 percent/831 votes; Adrienne Ann Mullen, 39.83 percent/550 votes.

– PUSD District 5 – Elizabeth Pomeroy, 69.83 percent/1,576 votes; Matthew Baron, 30.17 percent/681 votes.

– PUSD District 7 – Scott Phelps, 100 percent/3,261 votes.

The final results are expected to be revealed at the council meeting on Monday, March 20.

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