180-vote gap defines Tustin mayoral race as count continues
Incumbent Mayor Austin Lumbard leads Letitia Clark in a contest that narrowed to eight votes at one point during the initial count.
By William Turner ·
Incumbent Mayor Austin Lumbard of Tustin held a narrow lead over former Mayor Letitia Clark in the city’s mayoral race on the morning of November 4. The gap between the two candidates stood at 180 votes as of 1:36 a.m. Wednesday. Lumbard captured nearly 51% of the counted ballots, while Clark received approximately 49%.
The contest saw a dramatic swing during the initial reporting period. At one point, Clark led Lumbard by eight votes before the incumbent reclaimed the lead. More than 15,600 votes had been tallied in the Tustin race by that time. Countywide, officials indicated that over 246,500 ballots remained to be processed across Orange County.
Clark attributed the late shift in results to voter behavior patterns. She stated that Democrats often wait until closer to election day to cast their ballots. She also noted that results from vote centers typically favor Republican candidates. Clark criticized Lumbard’s campaign strategy, specifically mentioning his use of an AI voiceover in campaign videos.
“We’re just hopeful that honesty and integrity and an amplification of community will win,” Clark said in a phone interview. “We know that this could be a long count. We may not know the final count for at least a week, but we’re in it.” Her campaign has already mobilized volunteers to assist with the vote count. Lumbard did not return a request for comment by Wednesday morning.
The election pits two candidates with distinct endorsements against a backdrop of shifting local politics. Clark holds endorsements from the Democratic Party of Orange County and local labor unions. Lumbard is backed by the Republican Party of Orange County and local public safety unions. The OC Firefighters Association spent over $70,000 on mailers to support Lumbard. The Tustin police union’s political action committee spent $7,500, while the Tustin Police Support union’s political action committee spent $6,250.
Tustin’s voter registration data shows a divided electorate. The city has more than 44,700 registered voters. Approximately 40% are registered Democrats, 27% are registered Republicans, and 26% have no party preference. The Tustin mayoral race is one of several tight contests in the county, including two competitive races in Santa Ana where progressive candidates lead police union backed opponents by small margins.
In Santa Ana’s Ward 4, Sandra De Anda led Phil Bacerra by 533 votes. In Ward 6, Isuri Ramos held a 379-vote lead over Giovanni Chavez. These results reflect a pattern of close races across the region as election night data continued to accumulate.
