Challenger Duncan Leads Davies for 74th Assembly Seat, Patel Ahead in 76th and Sharp-Collins in 77th

In a rare potential upset of an incumbent on Tuesday, Democrat Chris Duncan took an early lead over Laurie Davies in the 74th Assembly District in north coastal San Diego and south Orange counties.

With 40.8% of precincts reporting statewide, Duncan had 51.0% of the vote compared to incumbent Laurie Davies’ 49.0%. Duncan and Davies previously ran against each other for this seat in 2022.

In other state Assembly races:

• 76th District: Democrat Darshana Patel leads with 52.8% compared to Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane’s 47.2%
• 77th District: Incumbent Tasha Boerner, a Democrat, leads with 60.1% to Republican James Browne’s 39.9%.
• 79th District: Democrat LaShae Sharp-Collins leads with 52.4% of the vote compared to Democrat Colin Parent’s 47.6%
• 80th District: Democrat David Alvarez leads Republican Michael Williams by 60.0% to 40.0%.

The 74th district, stretching from Oceanside and Vista to Laguna Niguel, was predicted to be a close race. Davies is a former mayor of Laguna Niguel, and Duncan formerly served as a federal prosecutor and as the mayor of San Clemente.

In 2022, Davies won the seat by a margin of 5%. While the district leans Republican, it has also backed progressive policies like Prop. 1, which codified abortion protections in the state constitution.

Davies and Duncan have clashed over several policies during the campaign. Duncan supports a measure to increase the minimum wage to $18 by 2026; Davies does not. The Republican candidate — and current small business owner — also has been  a critic of Gov. Newsom’s spending to curb homelessness.

Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane and Democrat Darshana Patel are vying for Brian Maienschein’s 76th district seat, located in inland North County. Maienschein is termed-out.

Bruce-Lane previously attempted to win the seat in 2022. In the March primary, she received 49.6% of the vote, compared to 34.2% for Patel and 16.4% for another Democrat, Joseph Rocha. Patel, a research scientist and president of the Poway Unified School District board, is seeking her second public office.

The 79th district – stretching from southeast San Diego to El Cajon – was expected to be a tight race between two Democrats. Colin Parent, a La Mesa City Council member and head of Circulate San Diego, which works on growth, transit and safe streets, faces Lashae Sharp-Collins, a community engagement specialist for the San Diego County Office of Education.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber has endorsed Sharp-Collins and Rep. Scott Peters has endorsed Parent.