Desmond, Wilpert ahead in District 48 race to succeed Issa

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(The Center Square) – Republican Jim Desmond has a big lead in the race for California Congressional District 48.

The race will decide who replaces U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa. The Republican from San Diego County opted not to run for another term in the newly redrawn district.

With 84.7% precincts partially reporting, Desmond had 41.2% of the vote. Democrat Marni von Wilpert had 20.2%. The two appear likely to square off in the Nov. 3 general election.

Desmond is currently a San Diego County supervisor. He is also a former mayor of San Marcos, a Delta Air Lines pilot and a U.S. Navy veteran.

Marni von Wilpert is a San Diego City Council member.

Past attempts by The Center Square to reach Desmond for comment were not successful.

In a press release Tuesday night, Desmond thanked his supporters and said he will not forget their concerns about issues such as taxes and the border with Mexico.

"This win belongs to the families who are sick of being taxed out of their own neighborhoods, to the small business owners hanging on, to the seniors stretching a fixed income further every month," Desmond said. "They're done being ignored by politicians who tax everything and listen to no one. They voted for a secure border, lower taxes and a chance to actually afford the life they've worked for. I hear them, and I'm not going to forget it."

Von Wilpert told The Center Square in May that she is “the only candidate in this race that has flipped a Republican seat.” She added that she knows how to build a coalition, earn trust and win tough fights.

“The 48th District deserves a representative who will unrig the economy for working people, stop Donald Trump and ICE’s chaos in our communities, and hold special interests and big corporations accountable,” said von Wilpert, who successfully ran for San Diego City Council in 2020 and won reelection in 2024. 

Other Democrats running for Issa's longtime seat are Navy Reserve Officer Ammar Campa-Najjar, energy systems executive Stephen Clemons, Vista City Councilmember Corrina Contreras, small business owners Ferguson Porter and Brandon Riker, teacher/school board member Abel Chavez, Board of Equalization member Mike Schaefer, and digital marketing executive Eric Shaw.

Besides Desmond, the only Republican candidate was computer software engineer Kevin Patrick O’Neil.