After expensive race, Sacramento school board president loses re-election bid 

In an expensive and contentious race, Sacramento City Unified school board president Jessie Ryan is headed for defeat, according to election results released Friday afternoon.

With roughly two-third of votes counted in Sacramento County, Lavinia Grace Phillips led Ryan 55% to 44%.

Phillips told The Sacramento Bee she wants to make sure the count is final before declaring victory.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was the underdog, and I came up from the bottom,” Phillips said. “Out of respect for the incumbent, I am going to hold back until I hear from Jessie Ryan or from the registrar’s office.”

Phillips had a well-financed campaign, bolstered by more than $100,000 in donations from the Sacramento City Teachers Association union, campaign finance records show. The California Teachers Association reported an expenditure of $126,700 in support of Phillips’ campaign.

Ryan did not respond to calls seeking comment Friday. She said in a Facebook post Wednesday that the race was the costliest in district history “and we were up against powerful forces willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to win at all costs.”

Phillips will represent the neighborhoods of Oak Park, Hollywood Park and North City Farms.

Elsewhere in the district, Christina Pritchett, an incumbent board member representing neighborhoods to the east of the city and Rosemont, will continue to serve the district. As of Friday, Pritchett has 54% of the vote. Her opponent Jose Navarro received 45% of the vote.

Jamee Villa won the election with 60% of the vote in the south Sacramento neighborhoods of Elder Creek and Fruitridge in Area 4. Her opponent, Naila Pope-Harden, received 39% of the vote.

Chinua Rhodes, a community activist, narrowly leads in the south Sacramento neighborhoods of Meadowview and Parkway, or Area 5, with 51% of the vote. His opponent, Vanessa Areiza King, has 48% of the vote and just 183 votes separate the candidates. The winner will replace Mai Vang, who left the seat to run for Sacramento City Council.