2018 Orange County, California District Attorney election

The 2018 Orange, County, California District Attorney election took place on June 5, 2018, to elect the Orange County, California District Attorney. County-level elections in California are officially nonpartisan. Because no candidate received a majority, a runoff will be held on November 6, 2018.

Orange County, California District Attorney election, 2018
June 5 and November 6, 2018
Turnout42.9% (first round);[1] 71.0% (runoff)[2]
 
Candidate Todd Spitzer Tony Rackauckas Brett Murdock
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
First round vote 191,346 209,148 121,818
First round percentage 35.2% 38.5% 22.4%
Runoff vote 484,830 425,764 N/A
Runoff percentage 53.2% 46.8% N/A
Runoff results by county supervisorial district
Spitzer:      50–60%
District Attorney before election

Tony Rackauckas

 Elected District Attorney

Todd Spitzer

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Incumbent District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is running for a sixth term.[3] Rackauckas was re-elected in 2014 with 73% of the vote in 2014.

In July 2017, Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer declared that he will challenge Rackauckas due to scandals within the Orange County District Attorney's office.[4]

In May of 2018, former mayor of Brea Brett Murdock declared candidacy.[5]

Rackauckas has faced criticism for allegedly mishandling jailhouse informants, making it more difficult to convict and sentence defendants.[6][7][8][9][10]

On September 22, 2017, Scott Dekraai was sentenced to eight terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole, one term for each of his victims and to seven years to life for attempted murder in a Seal Beach salon shooting. The jailhouse informant scandal allegedly involving Rackauckas made it impossible to seek the death penalty for Dekraai.[11][12]

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint claiming the alleged widespread use of jailhouse informants by Orange County law enforcement officeholders has continued for decades. The United States Department of Justice and California Attorney General's office both launched probes investigating the jailhouse informant case. As of April 4, 2018, no charges have been filed against any Orange County law enforcement official.[13]

On April 26 2018, A forum for candidates sponsored by conservative PAC Hispanic 100 was held.[14]

Assistant Orange County Public Defender Scott Sanders claims California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions have turned a blind eye to the use of jailhouse informants. Sanders discovered that more than 140 cases might have been mishandled due to the use of jailhouse informants. Sanders claims that it is the largest jailhouse informant scandal in United States history.[15]

On November 6, 2018, Spitzer, a Republican, defeated incumbent Republican Rackauckas, denying Rackauckas a sixth term.

Candidates

Declared

General election

Endorsements
Brett Murdock
U.S. Representatives
State-level officials
Other individuals
  • Fran Sdao, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Orange County
Organizations
  • Costa Mesa Democratic Club
  • Democratic Party of Orange County
  • Orange County Young Democrats
  • Laguna Woods Democratic Club
  • Seal Beach Leisure World Democratic Club

[17]

Tony Rackauckas
U.S. Representatives
State Senators
State Assembly members

[18]

Todd Spitzer
Local-level officials
Other individuals
Organizations

[19]

Results
First round results by county supervisorial district
First round results by congressional district
Orange County, California District Attorney election, 2018[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Tony Rackauckas (incumbent) 209,148 38.5%
Nonpartisan Todd Spitzer 191,346 35.2%
Nonpartisan Brett Murdock 121,818 22.4%
Nonpartisan Lenore Albert-Sheridan 20,890 3.8%
Total votes 543,202 100%

Results by county supervisorial district

Rackauckas won all 5 county supervisorial districts by varying margins. Red represents county supervisorial districts won by Rackauckas.

Results by county supervisorial district[1]
District Albert-Sheridan Murdock Rackauckas Spitzer Total
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes
13,2344.9%16,34424.8%25,84039.3%20,41331.0%65,831
25,4324.1%29,24822.2%53,59140.7%43,24532.9%131,516
34,0003.4%24,01520.4%44,83538.1%44,80538.1%117,655
43,6024.1%23,02026.5%31,14035.8%29,16933.6%86,931
54,6223.3%29,19120.7%53,74238.0%53,71438.0%141,269
Totals20,8903.8%121,81822.4%209,14838.5%191,34635.2%543,202

Results by congressional district

Rackauckas won all 7 congressional districts by varying margins. Red represents congressional districts won by Rackauckas.[1]

Results by congressional district[1]
District Albert-Sheridan Murdock Rackauckas Spitzer Total
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes
38682.4%58420.6%1,14940.5%1,03836.6%2,839
393,1523.7%19,99323.6%31,11236.8%30,30135.8%84,558
454,9393.3%31,05820.6%57,36438.1%57,15438.0%150,515
463,1114.7%17,92827.3%23,58535.9%21,08132.1%65,705
471,9724.5%9,59721.8%17,48039.7%14,96434.0%44,013
486,3134.1%34,94222.5%62,71840.4%51,12133.0%155,094
491,3353.3%7,71619.1%15,74038.9%15,68738.8%40,478
Totals20,8903.8%121,81822.4%209,14838.5%191,34635.2%543,202

Runoff

Endorsements
Tony Rackauckas
U.S. Representatives
State Senators
State Assembly members

[17]

Todd Spitzer
State-level officials
Local-level officials
Other individuals
  • Bill Handel, talk radio host[20]
  • John and Ken, talk radio co-hosts of The John and Ken Show[20]
  • Harriett Salarno, Chairwoman of Crime Victims United of California
  • Nina Salarno, president of Crime Victims United of California
  • Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas
  • Patricia Wenskunas, CEO of Crime Survivors
  • Paul Wilson, husband of Christy Lynn Wilson
Organizations
  • Crime Victims United of California
  • Hispanic 100[14]
  • Orange County Professional Firefighters Association
Newspapers

[19]

Results
Runoff results by congressional district
Orange County, California District Attorney election runoff, 2018[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Todd Spitzer 484,830 53.2% N/A
Nonpartisan Tony Rackauckas (incumbent) 425,764 46.8% -26.5%
Total votes 910,594 100% N/A

Results by county supervisorial district

Spitzer won all 5 county supervisorial districts. Green represents county supervisorial districts won by Spitzer.[2]

Results by county supervisorial district[2]
District Rackauckas Spitzer Total
Votes%Votes%Votes
161,29749.7%61,91950.3%123,216
2103,96949.7%105,02750.3%208,996
389,73944.5%111,71555.4%201,454
466,35044.7%82,24355.3%148,593
5104,40945.7%123,92654.3%228,335
Totals425,76446.8%484,83053.2%910,594

Results by congressional district

Green represents congressional districts won by Spitzer. Red represents congressional districts won by Rackauckas.

Results by congressional district[2]
District Rackauckas Spitzer Total
Votes%Votes%Votes
382,24046.6%2,56653.4%4,806
3959,81844.3%75,13355.7%134,951
45114,75344.8%141,54855.2%256,301
4659,91445.4%72,13954.6%132,053
4736,38948.7%38,38651.3%74,775
48123,15850.3%121,54049.7%244,698
4929,49246.8%33,51853.2%63,010
Totals425,76446.8%484,83053.2%910,594

References
  3. Despite scandals and doubts, Orange County district attorney wants another term, and a shot at vindication
  4. Todd Spitzer will challenge Tony Rackauckas for Orange County district attorney post
  5. Turmoil, passion surround major Orange County law enforcement races
  6. "'Failure of leadership' at the Orange County D.A.'s office led to informant issues, report says". Los Angeles Times. 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  7. "After scathing report by panel he selected, O.C. D.A. Tony Rackauckas says he's staying put". Ocregister.com. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  8. "Inside the Snitch Tank". Ocregister.com. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  9. "OC Snitch Scandal". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  10. "Deputies take the Fifth, complicating yet another jail snitch case". Ocregister.com. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  11. "Scott Dekraai, Orange County's worst mass killer, gets life without parole for eight Seal Beach murders". Ocregister.com. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  12. "Judge rules out death penalty for Scott Dekraai in Seal Beach mass murder case". Ocregister.com. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  13. ACLU Accuses Sheriff, Top Prosecutor Of Rampant Misconduct In California’s Orange County
  14. In Orange County DA's race, candidates' debate is elusive
  15. New Evidence In California Jail Snitch Scandal Raises Questions About State, Federal Probes
  17. "Endorsements". Brett Murdock for District Attorney. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  18. "Endorsements". Tony Rackauckas for District Attorney. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  19. "Endorsements". Todd Spitzer for District Attorney. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  20. News
  21. Endorsement: Spitzer for Orange County district attorney
Official campaign websites
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