Medina declares victory in Riverside County board race; Roth concedes

Former Assemblyman Jose Medina has declared victory over in the race for a Riverside County Board of Supervisors, becoming the board’s first Latino member.

The two Riverside Democrats were competing for the District 1 post currently held by longtime Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, who is retiring.

Medina added to his lead following the conclusion of vote counting Monday night. The latest tally showed Medina just over 1% ahead, expanding his lead to 1,509 votes, or 50.6% to 49.4%, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters’ Office. Monday’s total was 67,413-65,904.

An estimated 44,600 vote-by-mail and provisional ballots in the county have yet to be processed. The next vote-count update was scheduled for Tuesday evening.

Roth had a nearly 10% vote cushion on election night last week. His lead dissipated each day since then, and on Nov. 12 the night’s vote tally showed Medina ahead by 0.3%. Medina’s lead has increased steadily since then.

“It is deeply meaningful to me to become the first Latino Supervisor to represent our area of the county,” Medina said in a statement on Friday. “I am excited to get to work and look forward to uniting our community to achieve meaningful oversight of the Sheriff’s Department, address the homelessness and housing crisis, protect our environment, and expand economic and educational opportunities for everyone in Riverside County.”

Roth issued a statement conceding the race to Medina.

“Although there are votes that remain to be counted, it is clear that we did not prevail in the race for Riverside County Supervisor,” Roth said.

“In this great American democracy, which we so cherish and revere, the people have the final say, and I respect and accept their decision to elect Jose Medina as our next County Supervisor. I congratulate Supervisor-elect Medina on a hard-fought victory; and, no matter who you voted for in this race, I hope you will join me in wishing Supervisor-elect Medina success — because Riverside County’s success depends on it.”

Roth thanked his wife and supporters and added that “it has been the honor of my life to represent our region as State Senator for the last 12 years, working to deliver real results and victories for Inland Southern California. I have always believed public service is about working together, which is why I urge everyone to rededicate themselves to continuing the work needed to make Riverside County an even better place for our families.”

Term limits drove Roth from the California State Legislature this year. Previously he was an Air Force major general stationed in the Riverside area.

Roth highlighted as accomplishments in the Senate since 2012 securing funds for UC Riverside’s medical school and funding to add more judicial officers in the county.

“I’m running for supervisor to build more housing our families can afford, improve our quality of life, recruit doctors and make mental health care more accessible,” Roth said in campaign literature. “I’ll ensure we fund and support public safety to combat crime, fight gang violence and stop illegal drugs from overtaking our communities.”

His plan to address homelessness is establishing additional partnerships with nonprofits to expand the county’s offerings of mental health and substance abuse treatment options.

Roth bills himself as a “moderate Democrat” but like Medina, who termed out of the Assembly two years ago, Roth has received failing grades from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association. Roth voted for tax or fee increases including on gasoline, mobile phone services and recycling spent car batteries.

Medina was an educator before his 2010 election to the Assembly. He highlighted his advocacy for greater appropriations to UC Riverside and his efforts to acquire seed funding for the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and other restoration projects in Riverside.

The former assemblyman said he would make sure the sheriff’s department has accountability in order to reestablish community trust, referencing complaints about jail conditions that has led to at least one lawsuit.

“I will deliver for Riverside County families by tackling our homelessness crisis by rapidly moving people off our streets and into housing,” he said in a campaign promotion.

Medina also pledged to work to improve public health and expand mental health and addiction services.

In June he appeared before the Board of Supervisors to speak in opposition of double-digit percentage pay raises that were ultimately approved for the sheriff, district attorney and other elected officials. Medina said if voters select him for the office he would continue Jeffries’ tradition of declining pay raises for himself.

More from Politics