Buley to be Costa Mesa’s first elected Republican mayor, one of many shakeups on dais
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Two years after his arrival to the Costa Mesa City Council, practicing trial attorney Mike Buley is poised to become the city’s first elected Republican mayor in what’s likely to be a major game of musical chairs come December.
As of Thursday night, election results showed Buley, who currently represents District 1 on the council, continuing to hold a steady lead over challenger Loren Gameros, a Democrat who represents the city’s 2nd Council District. Buley has garnered 52.71% of the votes counted so far to Gameros’ 47.29%.
It’s a somewhat surreal moment for Buley, who said while he was initially urged by neighbors, friends and associates to run for office in 2024, he hadn’t exactly harbored mayoral ambitions.
“I didn’t see myself running for mayor after two years. I thought I’d sit in my seat for four years and I’d figure out what comes next,” the 60-year-old father of three said Tuesday outside the shop Deli Seoul, where he is known to hold meetings.
But then something clicked, something Buley described as a personal epiphany he’d had watching young families participate in a neighborhood event.
“I did feel maybe this was a calling,” he said. “Costa Mesa has given me a wonderful place to raise my kids and this is my opportunity to give back.”
Reached Thursday by phone, Gameros, 55, reflected on his own mayoral campaign, which focused on investing in a strong city workforce, improving park access and addressing residents’ needs.
“When I first came in, I didn’t have aspirations, but as I got comfortable in my boots, I started to realize I could do something, that there’s a place for me here,” Gameros recalled.
Gameros cited his role in the 2023 removal of boulders at Paularino Park, which had prevented kids from playing soccer, and the opening of Luke Davis Field to families on Costa Mesa’s west side as examples of his service.
“Mike’s a great guy. We both have a great love for the city,” he said. “[But] tell me what Mike has done for the community. Can you point to something he’s done to change or benefit the community?”
Buley acknowledged Tuesday his first two years on council presented a steep learning curve as the city addressed Measure K housing policies, establishing guidelines for the rebuilding of Fairview Developmental Center, budget shortfalls, federal immigration raids and concerns about Flock Safety license plate-reader cameras.
Citing the city’s accomplishments, he praised City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly for bringing citizen-led commissions and committees into the fold on important civic matters.
Buley also gave “kudos” to current Mayor John Stephens for overseeing passage of the Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan, which ultimately included compromises, room for future negotiations with the state and input from a public town hall forum held ahead of a Sept. 15 council vote. Although it was a controversial topic, support for the plan was unanimous and came after much consensus-building among colleagues, staff and stakeholders.
“That was a great example of how a non-partisan, properly functioning council should work,” Buley said.
Changeup on the dais
Buley’s ascension to the mayoral seat in December will leave a District 1 opening that may be filled either by council appointment or special election. Should councilmembers opt to appoint a seventh member, exactly where the chips may fall is anybody’s guess.
As of Thursday, with just 21,640 votes left in all of Orange County yet to be counted, District 4 candidate and Planning Commissioner Angely Andrade Vallarta, a Democrat, led over challenger and Arts Commissioner Fisher Derderian, having earned 71.12% of voter approval.
In District 5, Parks Commissioner Kelly Brown, also endorsed by Democrats, led with 57.72% of the vote over Steve Smith, a Republican and member of the Animal Services Committee, who had 42.28% of the votes so far tabulated.
The closest race is in District 3, which pitted Finance and Pension Advisory Committee member Daniel Morgan, a conservative, against Cara Stewart, an Animal Services Committee member and Democrat. As of Thursday, Stewart was edging Morgan by just 37 votes.
The political composition of the council — a non-partisan panel that currently leans to the left, 5-2 — could change significantly depending on the final vote counts and the outcome of a special election or appointment in District 1.
Buley said he believes voters in his district would want someone who could work across party lines.
“Leaning right or leaning left isn’t as important to me as “Are you thoughtful, pragmatic and sincere in your position, as opposed to being a dogmatic ideologue?’” he said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, newcomers will have to learn the ropes on the fly, as the city attempts to certify its housing plan amid a state lawsuit, crafts a balanced vision for the future use and protection of Fairview Park and tackles housing affordability, ICE detentions, Flock cameras and a host of other pressing issues.
Gameros said he’s ready to get back to work, despite the disappointing outcome of the election.
“I’m bitter, and you can quote me on that,” he said. “But I’m not going to take it to the dais.”
