Preliminary results show a dramatic change of direction at Salinas City Council.

To the sound of live mariachi, Tex-Mex and cumbia music, Gloria De La Rosa awaits the results of the Nov. 5 election. Even before the results come in, the atmosphere is festive with drinks flowing and supporters dancing on the dancefloor at 201 Main in downtown Salinas. 

When the results do come in, they show De La Rosa in the lead in a three-way race for Salinas City Council District 4—a seat she previously occupied for 22 years before retiring and endorsing Orlando Osornio as her successor. Osornio was elected in 2020, and now De La Rosa is challenging him—successfully—for her old position back. Early election results show De La Rosa leading with with 44 percent of the vote, or 978 votes; Osornio is in second with 38 percent, or 836 votes; and in third is Albert Lomeli with 18 percent (407 votes).

De La Rosa is not the only former Salinas councilmember to win a previous seat back this election. Dennis Donohue gathered with a small group of about 25 supporters at a Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Early results showed him with a commanding victory in a three-way race, with nearly 61 percent of the vote, or 11,009, followed by Chris Barrera with 26  percent or 4,692 votes, and Ernesto González García, with 13 percent or 2,308 votes. 

“It was more than I anticipated in terms of initial percentages so I was delighted to see that,” Donohue says. 

Despite the margin, Barrera is optimistic: “We still have ballots to count,” he says.

Current Mayor Kimbley Craig did not seek re-election, and endorsed Donohue as her successor. “People understand that we are a growing city. It’s important to make sure that we have a broad perspective (farmworkers, businessman, renters, etc.) on the city council,” Craig says. “With these early results, [they] have indicated they want a change.” 

That applies not just in District 4, but across the board. District 6 incumbent Anthony Rocha was losing by a large margin to challenger Aurelio Salazar, Jr.; District 4 incumbent Jesus Valenzuela was trailing in third place, with Margaret D’Arrigo holding a healthy lead with 58 percent; and in District 1, an open seat, Alex Ayala was trailing Jose Luis Barajas by 50 votes as of 11:30pm Tuesday. 

D’Arrigo was celebrating just down the street from De La Rosa on election night, with live music, wine and a large charcuterie board at Portebello’s.

The lineup of likely winners signals a different direction for council, returning to a more moderate politics than a current council that has leaned far left, including approving controversial policies like rent control.

If the results hold, Barrera says he hopes the council works as a team. “They must work together for the betterment of Salinas and for all Salinans,” he says.