Get ready to see red.
With the final votes tallied Friday, voters in the Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove and Westminster areas will have two Republicans to choose between in November’s election for the 72nd State Assembly District.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters has yet to certify the election, but the final remaining absentee and provisional ballots have been counted, and Los Alamitos Mayor Troy Edgar (R) and Travis Allen (R), a Huntington Beach financial planner, garnered the most votes. Joe Dovinh, a Garden Grove Planning Commissioner and the Democratic front-runner, conceded the race Friday afternoon after coming in 419 votes behind Allen.
“It’s going to be the two of them in the general (election) – all Republican,” said Dovinh. “It’s up to each of them to make their case to the community.”
Running in a Republican-dominated district, Dovinh had hoped for a strong showing among Democrats. However, the Democratic vote was split between Dovinh and Albert Ayala, a Democrat who did little campaigning but still earned 13.7 percent of the vote.
Though he conceded defeat in the assembly race, Dovinh is already planning another run for state office – the 34th State Senate District in 2014.
“I am looking forward to running in the 34th in two years,” he told Patch.
Dovinh plans to transfer funds raised during the current campaign to his state senate campaign after incumbent Lou Correa’s term expires. The 34th is a predominately Democratic district serving Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.
As for the remaining two candidates in the 72nd District Assembly race, “I think they are on the right track,” said Dovinh. “I haven’t seen Allen much in the community, but I have seen Edgar spending money in the community and campaigning.”
Allen said he feels good in his position as the second-highest vote getter.
“The voters clearly responded to our campaign message, and we are going to continue that into November,” said Allen, who earned 12,851votes or 19.9 percent. “I am the only candidate in the race to sign the ‘no-new-tax’ pledge,” Allen said.
An advocate of a part-time legislature, Allen says he would roll back government regulations on businesses.
Allen says he doesn’t believe an all-Republican race will change the way he campaigns heading out of the primary election. The issues remain the same, he said. The voters want their government held accountable, and they want a business-friendly California, added Allen.
“I think the record of my opponent is a little suspect when held up to the light,” he added.
Throughout the primary race, Edgar, who came out on top with 28 percent of the vote, touted his tax record, citing an endorsement by the Orange County Taxpayers Association.
"I'm going to work on advocating for businesses and jobs. We need to create an economy that can keep jobs in California and keep building the economy up. I'm also going to work with the Republican leadership and get in the trench and try to move everything forward,” he said on election night.
Long Pham, a Republican Orange County Board of Education Trustee, came in fourth with just 442 votes fewer than Allen.
Pham has not yet said whether he will ask for a recount, said Alex Avetoom, Pham’s campaign consultant.
“Dr. Pham will wait and talk with his family and weigh his options,” said Avetoom.
