Incumbent DA Otero wins

IMPERIAL COUNTY – In a race that was marked by pointed criticism of incumbent county District Attorney Gilbert Otero’s perceived actions and inactions, voters nonetheless backed his return for another four-year term on Tuesday.

He called the election night’s preliminary results both humbling and a reinforcement of his and the DA’s Office’s practices and vowed to continue with its proven track record.

“We’re not going to deviate from what we’ve done in the past,” Otero said. “No matter what people say, I’m not going to change who I am.”

Otero said he also credits his allbut-assured victory on Tuesday to local voters not being swayed by the negativity that had at times surrounded his race against El Centro-based attorney Edgard Garcia.

Although preliminary, Tuesday’s election results had started with Otero taking a 13 percentage point lead over Garcia, according to Registrar of Voters results published at 8:12 p.m.

That lead eventually narrowed by two percentage point by 9:59 p.m., with Otero netting 3,635, or 55.5 percent, of the total 6,507 votes cast. For his part, Garcia had amassed 2,872, or 44.4 percent, of the votes tallied as of 9:59 p.m.

Garcia had run a campaign that vowed a “new era” where the DA’s Office would primarily focus on prosecuting serious crimes, something which he said was being neglected under Otero’s leadership.

“I pledge to work hard to protect our community and make sure that our loved ones are safe,” Garcia had stated on his campaign’s official Facebook page. “To work closely with law enforcement to secure our community and last but definitely not least to strive for Justice for All OF US.”

For his part, Otero said his 24 years of experience in the office likely attracted voters to his side as well as his continued efforts to expand the agency’s capabilities.

“The campaign was won in my opinion based on facts and dignity,” he said.