Costa Mesa Saves the Orange County Fair

Costa Mesa Saves the Orange County Fair

Costa Mesa voters appeared strongly in favor of limiting allowable uses at the Orange County Fairgrounds to a fair and exhibition center, early election returns showed Tuesday evening. 

Measure C, which would lock the 150-acre site as the only location to host the annual four-week Orange County Fair and other mainstays like the weekend Marketplace and Equestrian Center, looked poised to pass with a strong majority. 

The measure is one of Costa Mesa city leaders’ tactics to keep the fairgrounds under city control after Gov. Schwarzenegger moved to sell the state-owned property last year. If it passes, the land cannot be developed for residential or commercial uses, and any major changes to its use would have to be voter-approved. 

Costa Mesa is in the midst of negotiations to buy the fairgrounds from the state in partnership with a third-party company. 

In another closely watched election, Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor was leading Tuesday night, with early results showing him likely to beat Long Pham for the Republican nomination for Van Tran’s 68th District Assembly seat. 

If his preliminary lead holds, Mansoor will likely face in the November election Democratic challenger Phu Nguyen, a businessman who was leading federal court translator Joe Dovinh on Tuesday night. 

Tran and Mansoor are both termed out after this year and are seeking higher political office. Tran was leading in the Republican primary for the 47th Congressional District as of press time. 

State Sen. Tom Harman (R-Costa Mesa) appeared to fall short in his bid to become the Republican nominee for state attorney general. Harman was trailing Los Angeles District Atty. Steve Cooley and attorney John Eastman. 

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) appeared to lose the Republic nomination for U.S. senator to former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. Fiorina, who was also leading former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell, will likely face U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in November. 

And Jay Ferguson, of Newport Beach, appeared to fall far short of the needed votes to gain the Republican nomination for state Assembly in the 70th District.

Election results     

City of Costa Mesa
Measure C on the Orange County Fairgrounds:
Yes – 87.4%
No – 12.6% 

Republican Primary
68th State Assembly District:
Allan R. Mansoor – 75%
Long Pham – 25% 

Democratic Primary
68th State Assembly 68th District:
Phu Nguyen – 56.5%
Joe Dovinh – 43.5% 

Republican Primary for U.S. Senator:
Carly Fiorina – 52.3%
Chuck DeVore – 25.9%
Tom Campbell – 19.8%
Al Ramirez – 1.3%
Tim Kalemkarian – 0.7% 

Republican Primary
70th State Assembly District:
Steven S. Choi – 30%
Donald P. (Don) Wagner – 29.3%
Jerry Amante – 28%
Jay Ferguson – 12.7% 

Democratic Primary
70th State Assembly District:
Melissa Fox – 74.7%
Mike Glover – 25.3% 

Republican Primary
State Attorney General:
Steve Cooley – 40.9%
John Eastman – 32.6%
Tom Harman – 26.6%