Agran out, Republican majority gains strength on Irvine council

Irvine Mayor Steven Choi won his bid for reelection and the Republican majority of the City Council gained strength as longtime Democratic council member Larry Agran was ousted from public office, according to the unofficial results of Tuesday’s election.

Planning Services Commissioner Lynn Schott and incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Lalloway control the two open seats with 23% and 22.9% of the vote, respectively. Schott and Lalloway were campaigning with Choi as a slate of Republican candidates.

With sitting Councilwoman Christina Shea, the Republican majority is now four strong. Councilwoman Beth Krom remains the only Democratic representative on the council. Shea and Krom are each in the middle of four-year terms.

“Obviously I am elated to be reelected,” said Choi, enjoying a comfortable 45.3% to 43.1% lead over Democratic challenger Mary Ann Gaido. “I am excited about the new makeup of the council and look forward to continuing our work.”

Democratic candidate Melissa Fox was a close challenger for a council seat with 22.5%, less than 200 votes behind Lalloway. Agran carried 19.6% of the vote and will vacate his council seat for the first time since 1998.

Agran has served a total of 28 years on the council, on and off, since first being elected in 1978. Four of those years, from 200 to 2004, were as mayor.

“I’m pretty much out of the running,” Agran said Wednesday while refusing to concede until the results are final.

“Of course, it is a long way to being official, with many votes to be counted in Irvine,” said Agran, who campaigned with Gaido and Fox as part of a Democratic election slate. Agran expressed hopes that Gaido could still win the mayoral vote and Fox could overtake Lalloway.

“It is time to say goodbye to my old friend Larry Agran,” Choi said with more conviction and a sharp slice of sarcasm. “The voters have spoken.”

“Larry Agran has been on the council a long time,” said Lalloway of his most ardent opponent on the dais. “I think he’s worn out his welcome with the voters of this city.”

Two voter initiatives on the Irvine ballot passed with overwhelming approval.

Measure W, adjusting the current term-limit policy to place a 12-year lifetime service limit on council members passed with nearly 75% of the vote. The 12-year limit begins with this election and does not apply to the service time already accrued by current and past council members.

“Voters have approved hard term limits across the country,” noted Lalloway. “People want new and fresh voices in government and detest career politicians.”

Measure V, the Orange County Great Park Fiscal Transparency and Reforms act, passed with almost 90% approval by voters. The measure was submitted in September amid a City Council debate over a $1.1 million audit of more than $200 million in expenditures on the park project between 2004 and 2010.