Politics

Filner Ekes Out Narrow Win as San Diego's Mayor

Fends off openly gay libertarian Republican Carl DeMaio

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Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, outlasted Councilman Carl DeMaio to claim the San Diego mayor's office, according to unofficial results released early Wednesday.

With all precincts reporting, Filner had 51.5 percent of the vote, compared to 48.5 for DeMaio, with about 10,000 votes separating the two candidates out of more than 320,000 cast.

"People in this city have realized that I am on their side and this city has got to change," Filner told supporters Tuesday night while votes were still being tallied. "This city has changed demographically, it has changed business-wise, it has changed -- the kind of people and the way they look at the world."