STOCKTON CITY COUNCILMEMBER MICHAEL BLOWER appeared headed toward another four years in office, holding a significant lead over challenger Jessica Toccoli in a race centered on neighborhood improvements, public safety and the direction of city government.
Blower received nearly 60% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, compared with Toccoli’s 40%, according to semifinal results from the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters.
The results remain unofficial as election officials continue processing ballots.
The lead represents a significant improvement over Blower’s performance in the June primary, when he received 48.24% of the vote in a four-candidate field. Toccoli finished second with 36.19%, advancing both candidates to the November runoff.
In an interview with Stocktonia, Blower expressed confidence that his advantage would hold as additional ballots were counted.
“Votes should be counted, but I’m still feeling good about my race,” Blower said. “I think that my pretty big lead would be hard to overcome.”
Blower touts accomplishments
Blower, a lifelong Stockton resident and real estate broker, attributed his performance to his record of delivering neighborhood improvements during his first elected term.
“I have a lot of things that I’ve accomplished in the last four years, and I think people saw that,” he said.
Blower first joined the City Council in February 2016, when council members appointed him to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Moses Zapien following his appointment to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors.
He served until December of that year before losing his election bid to Susan Lenz. Blower returned to the council in January 2023, this time as the elected representative of District 3.
Throughout his reelection campaign, Blower emphasized his experience navigating city government and securing funding for projects affecting the neighborhoods he represents.
Among those accomplishments, he has highlighted fencing improvements at Swenson Park, pickleball courts at Grupe Park and an inclusive playground at Sandman Park. He has also pointed to street and parking lot improvements and efforts to address maintenance problems along Five Mile Slough.
Public safety has remained another central part of his agenda.
Blower supported renewing Measure A, Stockton’s voter-approved sales tax, and has backed investments in police vehicles and firefighting equipment. He has also credited the establishment of a fire truck company at Fire Station 7 with improving emergency response capabilities in District 3.
Opponent calls out City Hall dysfunction
But Blower’s campaign also unfolded against broader questions about City Hall’s ability to govern effectively.
His challenger, Toccoli, a special education teacher and fifth-generation Stocktonian, campaigned on improving public safety, increasing opportunities for young people and demanding greater accountability for city spending.
In an October interview with Stocktonia, Toccoli argued that residents had grown frustrated with neighborhood problems and the council’s frequent political disputes.
She proposed evaluating nonprofit contracts according to measurable results, including housing outcomes and treatment completion rates, and called for greater transparency about how public money is spent.
Toccoli also criticized Blower’s political alignment with then-Vice Mayor Jason Lee, accusing him of contributing to the council’s ongoing conflicts.
Blower, meanwhile, has frequently sided with Lee and Councilmember Mario EnrĂquez on contentious votes, placing him in opposition to a four-member majority that has often included Mayor Christina Fugazi and Council members Michele Padilla, Mariela Ponce and Brando Villapudua.
The divisions became particularly visible in January 2025, when the council’s new political makeup precipitated the departure of City Manager Harry Black.
Blower opposed Black’s removal and later voted against appointing Steve Colangelo as interim city manager, decisions he has repeatedly cited when discussing the deterioration of working relationships at City Hall.
The ensuing period brought further leadership changes, internal investigations and disputes over city spending.
On the opposite side of controversy
In June, the San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury released a report titled “Governance in Turmoil,” concluding that public infighting, leadership instability and interference with city employees had weakened Stockton’s government.
Blower agreed with the report’s broader concerns but questioned its criticism of the council as a whole, arguing that individual members had conducted themselves differently throughout the disputes.
During a September candidate forum hosted by the NAACP and El Concilio, Blower described the previous year and a half as a particularly turbulent period for the council.
He also called for restoring a city data analytics function to help elected officials and residents better evaluate government programs and spending. More recently, Blower found himself on the losing side of another contentious vote when the council removed Lee as vice mayor on Oct. 13.
“I’m gonna do whatever I can to help create a more peaceful environment. I’ve tried that, and it’s been tough the last couple of years.”
Councilmember Michael Blower
Blower and EnrĂquez opposed the removal, while Fugazi, Padilla, Ponce and Villapudua supported it. The motion passed 4-2 after Lee left the meeting.
Despite those disagreements, Blower said Tuesday that he intends to work toward a less contentious environment during another term.
“I’m gonna do whatever I can to help create a more peaceful environment,” he said. “I’ve tried that, and it’s been tough the last couple of years.”
Asked about his stronger performance compared with the primary, Blower also suggested voters had rejected accusations directed at him during the campaign.
“There were a lot of lies thrown out, and a lot of mud that was slung,” he said. “They overlooked that and were able to see through the falsehoods.”
Focused on his priorities
Beyond City Hall’s political disputes, Blower said he plans to continue focusing on neighborhood improvements and responding to residents’ everyday concerns.
Among his immediate priorities is Gibbons Park, where he has been working to secure funding for repairs and upgrades after residents raised concerns about deteriorating facilities.
Blower previously told Stocktonia that he had sought funding for improvements to the park, but the council allocated money to other projects. He said he was exploring the use of discretionary funds to complete some of the work.
Beyond larger projects, he plans to remain responsive to residents’ everyday concerns, including potholes, street maintenance and other neighborhood issues.
Mayor Christina Fugazi congratulated Blower and District 1 Councilwoman Michele Padilla on their strong election showings Wednesday, expressing hope that the council could work more collaboratively despite its political divisions.
“My commitment is to work constructively with every member of the City Council, respect the voices of every district, and keep our focus where it belongs — on the people of Stockton,” Fugazi said in a social media written statement.
Toccoli did not immediately respond to Stocktonia’s request for comment Wednesday.
This story originally appeared in Stocktonia.