Update 9:35 a.m.:
Mai Vang, a Sacramento City Unified School board member, has a slight lead in the District 8 City Council race against Pastor Les Simmons, according to Sacramento County.
On Election Night, Vang, took to Facebook to thank those who supported her "grassroots campaign."
"There are still thousands of ballots left to be counted in District 8, but if the trends holds and continue, it looks like our grassroots campaign will make history. Regardless of how those votes play out, we know we’re in this fight for the long haul," Vang said.
As of Wednesday morning, Vang has 4,379 votes compared to Simmons 4,241.
Update:
Two candidates coming from two very unique backgrounds are vying for Larry Carr's District 8 seat on the Sacramento City Council.
The race for councilman Carr's seat is between a fourth-generation pastor, Les Simmons, and a daughter of Hmong refugees now sitting on the Sacramento City Unified School Board, Mai Vang.
Here are the results for the city council district 8 seat as they come in:
Original:
Two candidates coming from two very unique backgrounds are vying for Larry Carr's District 8 seat on the Sacramento City Council.
The race for councilman Carr's seat is between a fourth-generation pastor, Les Simmons, and a daughter of Hmong refugees now sitting on the Sacramento City Unified School Board, Mai Vang.
"I'm running for Sacramento City Council for them, for our families in our communities and to really continue my life's work to ensure that our families in our neighborhoods get the resources they need. Because oftentimes, neighborhoods like Meadowview, Detroit, Valley Hi area are often left behind," Vang said.
Mai Vang, 35, is the oldest of 16 kids and was born and raised in South Sacramento. On top of sitting on the school board, she is also the executive director of the Buck Scholars Association. She got her Masters in Public Health and Asian American Studies from UCLA.
"Actually now, more than ever, we need leaders who have the education and training in public health to address the challenges in the community," she said. "At the core of the recovery, we've got to make sure that we center resources on families and communities hardest hit."
Vang said she wants to prioritize coronavirus recovery efforts and make sure that District 8 gets their fair share.
Les Simmons, 42, originally from Oakland, California, has spent nearly two decades serving the area as a pastor of the South Sacramento Christian Center -- a church that he recently helped transform into a coronavirus testing site every Friday.
He also sat on the founding coalition for the Simmons Community Center, named after his mom and dad.
"The tide has risen for all of us, but our boat in South Sacramento may not have been able to float," Simmons said. "My job as the city council member is to ensure every boat floats in our community."
Simmons said he's passionate about addressing community violence as well as the national fight for racial and social equity.
"I think I have a deep commitment to supporting everyone, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live, to thrive, to grow, and is treated like real human beings with dignity and respect," he said.
Moving forward, Simmons said wants to focus on inclusive economic development and revitalizing the South Sacramento area, if elected.
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