Lopez has slim lead over Modesto District 3 rivals

Modesto City Councilman Dave Lopez may be headed toward a second term with a small lead over three rivals in a contentious race for District 3.

With 1,067 votes, or 33.8 percent, Todd Aaronson could be within striking distance of Lopez, who captured 1,251 votes, or 39.6 percent, with all precincts reporting and an undetermined number of late absentee and provisional ballots yet to count.

Former Mayor Carmen Sabatino was running a distant third with 483 votes, or 15.3 percent, and Paul Tunison had 346 votes, or 10.9 percent.

"I love Modesto," Lopez said late Tuesday. "I think today they said they love me back."

But Aaronson said a 184-vote lead is not safe when perhaps several hundred ballots remain to be tallied.

"We owe it to the voters to wait and see," he said Tuesday night.

Sabatino had speculated that a political machine favoring Lopez recruited Tunison to run, to dilute conservative votes that otherwise might have gone to Aaronson. He owns a consumer marketing firm, produced slick campaign messages and is the son-in-law of the late Armour Smith, who once served on the council.

Lopez cultivated an everyman image, appearing at scads of events to shake hands. He met with people in parks and rallied thousands of volunteers at service events called Partners in Paint and Taking It to the Streets.

District 3 runs through much of central Modesto — south of Briggsmore Avenue, north of Needham Avenue and Scenic Drive and west of Rose Avenue.

Lopez, 44, is not a District 3 incumbent because city districts were created after his election in 2007 and another councilman, Garrad Marsh, was assigned to District 3. Marsh terms out this year, leaving District 3 voters to choose a representative for the first time.

Lopez is an account executive with Alpha Numeric. He is Latino, but the Latino Community Roundtable supported Aaronson, 48, who collected far more endorsements than the others.

Tunison and Aaronson had never run for political office. The others each won one election and lost 15 races between them — 11 for Sabatino and four for Lopez.

Tunison, 36, owns two small businesses.

Sabatino, 74, had not campaigned for a city office since losing a re-

election bid in 2003. His political career dates to 1974, when Lopez was 7 and Tunison was not yet born.

Sabatino runs the Mediterranean Market & Grill. His debt exceeds $207,000, while an Aaronson investment property in Oakdale went into foreclosure during the campaign.

Lopez and Aaronson were neck-and-neck in fund raising, with $32,182 and $33,431, respectively. Tunison raised $10,793 and Sabatino, $6,995.

Lopez leaned on police and firefighter unions and was endorsed by Mayor Jim Ridenour. He and Aaronson focused on business growth and safety.

Bee staff writer Garth Stapley can be reached at gstapley@modbee.com or (209) 578-2390.