Denny Concedes Race, Thanks Supporters, Following Defeat by Tanaka

Councilwoman Barbara Denny has thanked her supporters in a message on her campaign website, vowing to continue to work with residents and others at City Hall despite her failed attempt to become mayor.

She noted that her campaign “played by the rules” and was “upbeat” though “unpleasantness was visited upon us daily.”

In reflecting upon the race, soon after it was clear he had far outpaced Denny, incumbent Casey Tanaka saw it differently, noting that he felt he sometimes had to respond to accusations leveled by his council colleague in her second run for mayor.

Denny maintained that the city could be headed to financial trouble, despite running a surplus last year, and that residents could face higher taxes as a result. She also hammered Tanaka and fellow council members on redevelopment debts and building issues, while suggesting she was more in tune with residents than they were.

Tanaka made a subtle shift in the last days of the campaign, answering Denny's accusations rather than sticking to the list of accomplishments he'd recited during the first few Coronado candidate forums. 

“I won't say it was deliberate, but I felt more comfortable rebutting her points head on,” he said.

Voters rejected Denny's plank soundly. In early returns Tuesday, Tanaka logged roughly 70 percent of the vote to Denny's 30 percent and the trend never wavered.

As of Thursday, Tanaka had received 4,374 votes to Denny's 1,895.

That's fewer votes than the 2,046 she received to be elected to the City Council three years ago. More than 1,500 people voted for her in her 2008 mayoral run.

Denny's concession message, in total, reads:

 “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all our friends and supporters.

Each of you were vital to our professional campaign.  We worked hard, told the truth, played by the rules, and conducted an upbeat campaign of true Coronado style and substance. 

Even though unpleasantness was visited upon us daily, I'm proud of all of you for conducting yourselves with integrity and good humor. I'm better for knowing you and working with you.

I look forward to continuing to serve as your Councilwoman working with residents, small business owners, city council, city staff and others to keep Coronado Coronado and ensure a healthy financial future for ourselves and future generations.”