Sylvia Arenas wins race for Santa Clara County supervisor

For the first time in 25 years, a Democratic candidate will represent the rural and more conservative District 1 seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Sylvia Arenas, a progressive San Jose councilmember, has won the highly-contested race against fiscally-conservative candidate and former San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis. With approximately 90 percent of ballots counted one week after the election, Arenas takes the lead with 54.3 percent of the vote—roughly 9,000 votes over Khamis. She will replace incumbent Mike Wasserman, who terms out at the end of the year.