ELECTIONS : La Canada Prefers Newcomers to Valente : Politics: The incumbent ran third in a race for two seats. All of his council colleagues backed his challengers.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE —  Long before the unofficial count was over, it was clear that voters in La Canada Flintridge had rebuffed incumbent Chris Valente and elected two newcomers to the City Council on Tuesday night.

David Spence and Carol Liu, with the strong support from all other council members and numerous city notables, soundly defeated Valente, who some viewed as an erratic loner on the council, unwilling to be a team player. Spence topped all candidates with 2,706 votes. Liu received 2,551 votes. Valente was a distant third with 1,871 votes.

Valente, 49, said he was surprised by the outcome and took the result as a message from residents that he should to stay out of local politics. The councilman, elected in a contentious 1988 race, tried to mask a sense of bitterness and graciously congratulated his opponents. But he took a hard view on his future relationship with the city.

“(The voters) gave me an ultimatum. They told me to keep quiet,” Valente said. When asked if he would try to run for the council again or continue any local volunteer efforts, he said: “I doubt I’ll do anything.”

When the precinct results telephoned to Valente’s small campaign party made it clear he would lose, one supporter said the councilman was nearly in tears. Other supporters were extremely disappointed and emotional.

“Chris represented another viewpoint to create discussion on the council,” said Jim Saake, 38.

“I think the (two winners) are just a rubber stamp,” for the rest of the council, said Tom Johnston, 44.

“Valente prided himself on being different, and I think that hurt,” said Spence, 55, an eye-care products salesman.

Spence cited the “strong, influential people” who worked on his campaign for his success. In contrast to Valente, who declined to organize a reelection committee and took no contributions, Spence and Liu ran well-oiled campaigns collecting $20,000 in donations between them.

“I think the people in this town respect a well-organized person,” Spence said. “I think that was a major factor.”

This year’s campaign was marked by polite debate, in sharp contrast to the elections of 1988 and 1990 when mudslinging and anonymous flyers became the hallmarks of La Canada Flintridge politics.

“I think everybody made a concerted effort not to make it like it was last time,” said Liu, 50. “I think people appreciated the lack of controversy.”

As the tallies were rushed in at City Hall, Councilman Jim Edwards noted that “this election is back to the way it was before,” referring to quieter campaigns before 1988, when Valente and Ed Phelps were elected in a political brawl that shocked the residents of the exclusive community. Phelps opted not to run for reelection, leaving his seat open.

Edwards said he was happy to see Spence and Liu win, as were most who came to watch the ballot counting. The few Valente supporters in attendance remained subdued as the results poured in. Valente placed third in all 11 precincts.

When each precinct tally was announced, an ecstatic Mayor Joan Feehan quickly rushed to a private phone to inform Liu directly. The mood throughout was celebratory, with the smiling mayor occasionally knocking Valente’s campaign.

“You just can’t say you’re the ‘people’s choice’ and expect everyone to vote for you,” Feehan told others during the ballot counting. In 1988, Valente campaigned as “the people’s choice” and that slogan was carried into this election by Valente supporters.

Valente, however, was low-key in his effort to get reelected, and by the middle of last week, after a sudden death in his family, he stopped campaigning. But the outgoing councilman stood by his decisions.

“I felt good about what I did, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said. Reflecting on his loss, Valente offered, “the people made a decision and I respect that.”

But the mood was festive at the victory parties for Spence and Liu. Some remarked that the council will run more smoothly with Spence and Liu replacing Valente and Phelps.

During their campaigns, Spence and Liu said they wanted to bring back a spirit of cooperation on the council. Valente, and sometimes Phelps, dissented from the other council members on key matters.

“Just because I don’t agree with them doesn’t mean I’m a bad guy,” Valente said during the campaign, but Edwards said Valente pushed his self-appointed role as “devil’s advocate” too far.

Spence said his first order of business was to get a new sewer system for La Canada Flintridge and keep the city fiscally sound in light of a tightening budget situation.

Liu, a former schoolteacher and administrator, vowed to focus her attention on upgrading the business district along Foothill Boulevard and attracting new businesses to the community.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE 11 of 11 precincts. CITY COUNCIL 2 Elected Votes (%) David Spence 2,706 (38.0) Carol Liu 2,551 (35.8) Christopher Valente* 1,871 (26.2)