A Democratic member of the board of supervisors in San Diego County announced she would resign after winning reelection in November and providing her party with majority representation.
Why It Matters
Board of Supervisor Chair Nora Vargas released a statement on social media about her decision to end her term. Vargas represents a heavily Hispanic district. She cited “personal safety and security reasons” as her reason for resigning.
President Donald Trump made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign, and it has remained a hot-button topic since his January inauguration. Americans largely support immigration reform overall but disagree about how policies such as deportations should be carried out. There have been protests across the country, particularly in California and Texas.
What To Know
Vargas announced on social media that instead of being sworn into her second term, she would be stepping down from the board of supervisors.
“After very careful consideration, I’ve decided to conclude my tenure as County Supervisor, completing my first term this January 6. 2025,” Vargas’s statement read. “Due to personal safety and security reasons, I will not take the oath of office for a second term.”
Vargas’s social media profiles appear to have been deleted.
Vargas had faced online criticism while board chair for backing measures to prevent county resources from being used to support federal immigration enforcement.
A measure to restrict jail staff from working with federal immigration officials to enforce mass deportations passed earlier this month, but San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez had said she would not honor the policy.
Voice of San Diego reported in November that some residents in Vargas’s district were upset with her delayed responses on issues like homelessness, drug overdoses and sewage pollution.
“As a Guerrera (meaning warrior) at my core, I remain committed to continuing the fight for equity, justice and human rights – just in a different capacity,” Vargas said. “I look forward to staying whole-heartedly engaged and active in the pursuit of a more equitable society.”
Who Is Nora Vargas?
Vargas had served on the San Diego County Boards of Supervisors since 2021, representing District 1 as a Democrat. She became the chair from 2023 to 2025. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Vargas was the first immigrant and Latina to serve on the board.
Vargas said in her statement that her priority “has always been our community, pointing toward disaster response and recovery efforts as well as navigating the pandemic and “driving systemic change” as her “proudest accomplishments.”
In 2024, Vargas was reelected with 62.5 percent of the vote.
She was previously the vice president of community and governmental relations at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.
“It has been my honor to serve in public office during unprecedented times, including the past four years on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors,” Vargas said. “Whether serving as an elected board member on the Southwestern College Governing Board for seven years or as your first Latina County Supervisor, I’ve had the privilege of leading transformative initiatives in the County of San Diego and beyond for nearly 30 years, alongside many of you.”
Who Will Fill Nora Vargas’s Seat?
Seven candidates qualified to vie for Vargas’s spot now that she has resigned, according to the Registrar of Voters.
Three candidates are Republicans: Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, small business owner Louis Fuentes, and Lincoln Pickard, who unsuccessfully ran for several offices recently. While the board is a nonpartisan body, these three candidates have the chance to put the board back in a Republican majority.
There are also three Democratic candidates: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez, and Councilmember Vivian Moreno.
It is unclear which party another candidate, affordable energy consultant Elizabeth Efrid, belongs to.
What People Are Saying
Amy Reichert, the cofounder of ReOpen San Diego, on X, formerly Twitter: “Why did Super Sanctuary Nora Vargas resign? She had heat coming from every direction. A whistleblower filed a civil rights complaint with the EPA alleging her ties to Pedal Ahead, a nonprofit run by Ed Clancy, & claimed he donates to her campaigns. Meanwhile, the DOJ has been investigating Pedal Ahead separately.”
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, on X: “As we begin 2025, our County faces a significant decision. Currently, the Board of Supervisors is operating with four members instead of five, following Supervisor Nora Vargas’s decision not to seek a second term.
“This vacancy presents us with two options: appoint a replacement or hold a special election. We’ve been in this position before. When Supervisor Nathan Fletcher left office, we chose the right path — we let the people decide by holding an election. Now, with Supervisor Vargas stepping down, we should do the same.
“The residents of South Bay, District One, deserve to select their next representative for a full four-year term through a fair and transparent election process, not a political appointment decided behind closed doors.”
Kimberly King, a spokesperson for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, told Politico: “There are no known or active threats towards Chairwoman Nora Vargas or any of the County Supervisors.”
What Happens Next
Voting for the special election will begin during the week of March 10, with the deadline on April 8. The contested vote will be held in early July if a runoff is necessary.
The post Who Is Nora Vargas? Rising California Democrat Abruptly Quits appeared first on Newsweek.
