Hannigan wins a 3rd term
Brown clinging to lead for District 2 contest
Erin Hannigan believes her dad is proud of her work on the Solano County Board of Supervisors.
The incumbent supervisor coasted to a third term Tuesday night with a commanding 60.02 percent of the vote against Vallejo City Councilmember Robert McConnell.
“He was such a role model for me,” Hannigan said by phone, while becoming emotional, when asked if she dedicated her latest campaign in her dad’s honor.
Tom Hannigan, a former assemblyman with 18 years of experience in state politics, died in October 2018.
Erin Hannigan recalled a time when her father suggested he would stop providing her with advice about local politics.
“I remember what I told him: ‘Don’t you ever do that,’” she said with a laugh.
Faced with the city of Vallejo’s term limits for councilors, McConnell, who has served on the council since 2011, charged forward challenging Hannigan for the District 1 seat.
McConnell received 39.98 percent of the vote. That number may increase as there were 1,134 District 1 provisional ballots and 9,800 vote-by-mail ballots countywide left to be counted.
Under election rules, when a candidate receives 50 percent plus one of the votes cast they are declared the winner and are sworn into office following the certification of the November general election results.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast then the top-two vote-getters move on to the general election in November.
Hannigan touted her work getting the First 5 Center opened in Vallejo.
“The center is saving lives. A parent that needs support can stop by or a parent can bring
their child to help improve their mental health,” she said. “Opening the center — this is the work I do. It energizes me.”
Hannigan further said she is proud of her track record on the board and feels her campaign ran a positive campaign.
“I think the voters see I walk the talk,” Hannigan said Tuesday night when asked why the voters appear to have sent her back to the board for a third term.
It was festive atmosphere Tuesday night as Hannigan’s campaign celebrated at the home of Michael and Peter Wilson.
Cheers erupted when the first results of the night, from vote-by-mail voters, put Hannigan at a comfortable 61 percent lead. That lead dropped slightly as ballots from 26 precincts were counted.
“Good job, supervisor,” said Michael Wilson as he hugged Hannigan, shortly after he announced results to about 65 people assembled for a campaign party. Wilson, a former Vallejo City Councilmember, serves as one of Hannigan’s board aides.
“Community means everything to me,” Hannigan said shortly after results were announced Tuesday. “I take my job very seriously.”
Hannigan quickly thanked her team after the first round of results showed her with a commanding lead.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Monica Brown said she was “cautiously optimistic,” Tuesday night as she clung to a 51.04 percent lead over businesswomen Rochelle Sherlock (25.43 percent), and K. Patrice Williams (23.53 percent), for the District 2 seat, according to the ROV website.
“The vote percentage has been going in the right direction all night,” Brown said by phone. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I just want 50 percent plus 1; I don’t want a run-off in November.”
District 2 includes the city of Benicia, portions of Fairfield, Mare Island, and all of Vallejo located south of Georgia Street.
A total of 17,238 votes had been counted as of 3 a.m. Wednesday, with all 39 precincts reporting.
Reached for comment Wednesday, Sherlock said she was “proud of everything we accomplished.”
“We ran a strong and honest campaign, brought new ideas to the table, and hopefully raised the bar for what we should all expect from our electeds,” she added. “My friends have been amazing with their support, and I’ve met so many new friends on this journey… and it’s been an honor to have earned the vote of so many people.
“Regardless of the outcome, I’ll continue doing the work I’ve always done to improve our communities and improve the lives of people who live here,” she said. “And I look forward to working alongside others to address community issues.”
Jon Riley, executive director of the Napa and Solano Counties Central Labor Council, said Tuesday night that he was “holding out for hope” to see Williams climb out of third place.
“I expect to see some changes in the vote as ballots are counted over the next few days,” he said. “She ran a great campaign — I’m very proud of her.”
The labor council endorsed Hannigan and Williams in their respective contests.