Ward 1 incumbent Lane Santa Cruz decisively won a second term Tuesday, taking about 63% of the votes counted so far in unofficial results released Tuesday night by Pima County.
Their Republican challenger, Victoria Lem, is trailing with about 37% of the votes counted so far.
The results as of Tuesday night represent 183 of 193, or about 95% of precincts reporting from the ballots received by Tucson's city clerk through mail. Voters could also drop of their ballots at drop boxes throughout the city up to 7p.m. on Tuesday.
Santa Cruz said Tuesday night that this race is about finding a way, and getting the job done.
"As much as we get criticized, we get (stuff) done. We get (stuff) done in the city of Tucson," she said. "It happens because people have a vision and a strategy to make things happen."
Victoria Lem the Ward 1 republican candidate hugs a supporter during the Republican election night watch party at Firetruck Brewing Co., 4746 East Grant Road, Tucson, Ariz., November 7, 2023.
"Women find a third way. That's what's so important about having women and queer people in office," Santa Cruz said, as her voice cracked when talking about Palestine and Israel.
Santa Cruz was first elected to the Ward 1 seat in November 2019 and will remain in office through 2027. Previously an instructor at the University of Arizona’s Department of Mexican American Studies, they now focus full-time on City Council and advocacy work.
In Santa Cruz’s first year in office, they focused on implementing racial equity in Tucson’s government, creating affordable housing strategies and supporting a fare-free transit system. They said their first term was an “exercise in policymaking” amid the allocation of federal COVID-19 relief dollars and the creation of strategic plans for spending them.
Get your morning recap of today's local news and read the full stories here: tucne.ws/morning
Ahead of their reelection, the incumbent said they wanted to focus on increasing the supply of affordable housing and providing resources to the region’s unsheltered population. One of the biggest issues Tucson faces, Santa Cruz said, is the ongoing drought and managing the region’s water supply.
Lem is a native Tucsonan who’s worked as a realtor for nearly nine years and serves as president of the Tucson Realtors Charitable Foundation. She said her biggest priority if elected is to “unify the citizens of Tucson.”
She previously said she fears for the future of her two children given the rate of crime she said she’s seen increase over the years. Her first priority, if she was elected, would've been to “stop enabling some of the crime,” by “funding areas where there’s open drug use,” such as the homeless encampment at Estevan Park.
Lem previously said the city should instead put funding toward local nonprofits to address homelessness. “We need to come alongside them, and not try to recreate the wheel, and provide some services to our community,” she said.
Throughout their campaign, Santa Cruz reported raising $74,303 in contributions along with $71,136 through the city's public matching funds program, according to their latest finance report in October.
Lem has not submitted a campaign finance report since August, when she reported raising $2,810 and spending $84.69.
Santa Cruz will retain their position for four more years, rejoining Mayor Regina Romero and City Councilmembers Paul Cunningham and Nikkie Lee as all four incumbents swept the city's general election, according to unofficial tallies released Tuesday night.
City Council members serve four-year terms with no term limits.
Get your morning recap of today's local news and read the full stories here: tucne.ws/morning
