While congratulations are in order and history needs to be noted, it’s important in the wake of the critical June primary we not rest on our laurels.

Mayor Jerry Sanders cruised to a comfortable win over challenger Steve Francis. Scoring 53 percent of the vote (not counting 74,000 absentee and provisional ballots), Sanders easily triumphed, despite Francis’ nearly $4,700,000 investment in his campaign. As we’ve told Sanders in the past, leaders lead and people follow leaders. He’s taken a strong stance on our issues, despite the fall out from other political allies, but he’s proved doing the right thing is more important than voting along party lines. Sanders was an example for Republican leaders nationwide and was rewarded with an outright win in the primary – and we expect him to continue to do the right thing.

Like it or not, the first openly gay man was elected to the San Diego City Council this week – Carl DeMaio walloped his opponent, George George, scoring more than 66 percent of the vote in the conservative District 5. DeMaio’s win, however, isn’t a victory for our community. The Republican candidate is as conservative as they come, and, during the campaign, declined through a spokesperson to speak directly to the Gay & Lesbian Times. Now that he’s able to put the strategic maneuvers necessary to win in a conservative district behind him, we’re hoping to see DeMaio address our community’s needs and fight for inclusiveness at City Hall – but we’re certainly not holding our breath.

In District 3, Todd Gloria and Stephen Whitburn are headed for a run off. Gloria scored 41 percent of votes to Whitburn’s 28 percent. We’ve endorsed Gloria in the race, but between the candidates, it’s a win-win situation. Either way, District 3 will elect a gay progressive candidate who will support Democratic principles on the City Council. Money is going to be a determining factor in the race, which is a shame, because that money could be donated to The Center, Being Alive, The Alano Club or Stepping Stone and go to good use. We advise Gloria and Whitburn to keep the campaign clean and tell us why we should support an individual candidate – not why we shouldn’t support his opponent. We cannot lose in the District 3 race.

We can, however, lose in two undecided races, two races that warrant our community’s effort and undivided attention.

In the race for District 7, conservative candidate April Boling scored a slim primary victory over Marti Emerald, our endorsed candidate in the race.

With Boling in the lead, 47 percent versus Emerald’s 44, the District 7 race is a priority for our community. The District 7 representative could be the swing vote on the council. Emerald, best known as the 10News Troubleshooter, will be a progressive voice on the City Council. Boling, on the other hand, is a conservative Republican. This is a no-brainer: In order to maintain a 5-3 Democratic majority on the council, Emerald’s is a must-win seat, and we encourage the community to support Emerald to every extent possible.

In the City Attorney’s race, San Diego residents smartly rejected candidates Scott Peters and Brian Maienschein, two of the City Council members responsible for the pension crisis. Peters challenged City Attorney Michael Aguirre for key Democratic endorsements, winning the local party’s support and the San Diego Democratic Club’s nod. By our judgment, both endorsements were stupid, misguided, petty attempts to derail Aguirre’s re-election.

Aguirre finds himself in a run off with Republican Jan Goldsmith, who won 32 percent of the vote versus Aguirre’s 28 percent. Peters and Lepine, the other Democratic candidates in the race, collectively captured nearly 45,000 votes, or 25 percent, of the vote. Maienschein secured more than 21,000, or 12 percent, of the votes.

Lepine was a viable candidate who, unfortunately, had no name recognition and failed to garner momentum. Peters had name recognition for all the wrong reasons, and was an unwise alternative to the incumbent. It seemed some misguided voters, in an attempt to spite Aguirre, opted to support his Democratic challengers.

Now, we’re faced with a run off between a liberal, albeit divisive, Democrat, and a staunch Republican. Aguirre has been a champion of human rights and civil rights issues for decades. Aguirre has been fighting for our rights longer than a lot of you reading this have been alive. He’s risked his re-election by challenging city employee benefits, effectively severing his support from labor unions.

There’s no question about it now – Aguirre is the only candidate in the race who represents progressive values and will uphold Democratic principles, while working in the public’s best interest.

For any wise Democrat, a vote against Aguirre – in other words, a vote for Goldsmith, or no vote at all – is an unconscionable act of spite and stupidity – in essence, it’s akin to biting off your nose to spite your face. Aguirre has overstepped his boundaries on more than one occasion during his first term in office. Who hasn’t made a mistake in a new job? He’s also soured his relationship with the mayor and others in city government – but Aguirre’s job isn’t to make friends. It’s time our community, however, puts Aguirre’s missteps in the past, and focuses on what values Aguirre upholds, versus the values Goldsmith upholds. Goldsmith did not testify on our community’s behalf against the city’s unfair and illegal lease of Balboa Park granted to the Boy Scouts. We’d also challenge you to call Goldsmith and ask his opinion on same-sex marriage, gays and lesbians rights to adopt, and women’s right to choose.

Given the opportunity to work with a fresh council, not encumbered with the pension crisis, we’re confident Aguirre, in the best interest of the public, will rebuild a working relationship with the City Council.

The races for mayor and District 5 are settled, and the District 3 election is a win-win for our community – but Emerald and Aguirre’s battles have just begun. These are the win-lose elections for our community. A vote for Emerald and Aguirre in November is a vote for progress.