Conservative Temecula City Councilmember Jessica Alexander is leading in her race to stay on the council dais, election results show.
Also, Temecula Mayor James “Stew” Stewart is ahead in his reelection effort. And a newcomer is behind former councilmember Matt Rahn, who is seeking to come back to the council.
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: See a chart of the latest vote counts
Alexander has 53.14% of the vote in District 2, results posted at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters show. Challenger Eric Faulkner, who is backed by the One Temecula Valley PAC — which led a successful recall in June against conservative Temecula school board member Joseph Komrosky — has 46.86%.
Alexander has faced criticism in previous years.
She made national news and was mocked by late-night TV host Stephen Colbert when in April 2021 she compared having to follow mask rules during the coronavirus pandemic to Rosa Parks’ civil rights struggle against segregation.
Alexander also advocated for Temecula to be a “sanctuary for the unborn,” walked off the council dais during a Pride Month declaration, and tried to pass a policy that could have prohibited LGBTQ pride flags from flying on city property.
Reached via a text message Thursday, Nov. 7, Alexander said that, if reelected, she is “excited to possibly have the opportunity once again to love and serve my neighbors throughout Temecula.”
“I believe people have chosen me because I have always led from the front,” she wrote. “I stand on truth, conservative morals and values and I am unwavering when needed.”
“In the past four years, I have proven that I do not allow DEI to dictate and narrate my interaction with people. I love and lead people in accordance with God’s truth and love and will continue to do the same if reelected for another term.”
In District 4, Stewart is defeating Sue Evans, who was endorsed by One Temecula Valley. Stewart has 59.25%; Evans has 40.75%.
“I have been elected three times by the people of Temecula and only the people and I have never had a single endorsement, or taken nor spent hardly any money,” Stewart said in a Thursday, Nov. 7, email.
“I spent $800 on a citywide election in 2016, and in 2020 and 2024 I spent zero,” Stewart said.
In District 1, Rahn has 63.15% and George Rapciewicz has 36.85% in the bid for a vacant council seat. Rapciewicz appeared in at least one campaign event with Alexander, according to social media posts.
“I think experience matters,” Rahn said Thursday, Nov. 7.
“I think people are looking for a candidate who has a demonstrated history of doing good things for the community and I’ve certainly contributed significantly to Temecula’s successes over the years and look forward to continuing that,” Rahn said.
Rahn served on the council before giving up his seat to run as a Republican for state Assembly in 2022.
The seat is vacant because the council decided not to appoint a replacement for former Councilmember Curtis Brown, who resigned in January.
Meanwhile, the city’s Measure M, which seeks to impose term limits on Temecula City Council members, has a comfortable lead with 84.43% of the vote, results posted Wednesday afternoon show. The percentage opposed is 15.57%.
If the results hold, councilmembers could only serve up to three, four-year terms for a total of 12 years in office. It requires a simple majority to pass.
The next Riverside County elections update is set for Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m.
