Inscoe, Valenzuela vie for seat in District 2; Garcia leads District 3

In Escondido, early returns released after polls closed on 8 p.m. Tuesday showed business owner Tina Inscoe in a close race with financial controller Vanessa Valenzuela for the seat for District 2 of the City Council, left vacant after Councilman John Masson died in March. They were followed by businessman Rick Paul.

Inscoe, 70, is a Republican, Valenzuela ,38, is a Democrat, and Paul ,57, did not cite a party affiliation. The winner will f ill the two years that remain on Masson’s term.

In District 3, where four candidates are running to fill these at now held by Olga Diaz, church pastor Joe Garcia was leading, followed by nonprofit president Don Greene, health care advocate Dara Czerwonka and businesswoman Susan Reveles. Garcia, 54, is a Republican. Greene, also 54, is a Democrat. Businesswoman and health care advocate Czerwonka, 51, did not list a party affiliation. Reveles, 43, is a Democrat.

In District 4, incumbent Mike Morasco, a physical therapist and small-business owner, held a strong lead against challengers Andres Yanez and April Austin Pugh. Morasco, 54, and Pugh, 48, are both Republicans.

In Escondido Union High School District Trustee Area Number 3, which includes southeast Escondido, incumbent Christi Knight, deputy chief of staff to county Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, held a strong lead over challenger Michelle Golding, a technology project manger.

In Escondido Union High School District Trustee Area Number 4, which includes northeast Escondido and parts of Valley Center, incumbent Dane White significantly led his challenge rs, construction estimator Eric Rodarte and software trainer Ogechi Okereke.

In the Escondido Union School District, three voting areas are up for election, but in two of those, incumbents are running uncontested. In District 3, challenger Mark Olson held a small lead over incumbent Joe Muga. In Trustee Areas 1 and 5, incumbents Douglas Paulson and Frank Huston ran unopposed.