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By Brian Hews
Publisher | Follow X
April 15, 2026
WHITTIER — It’s still unofficial, but if history holds, Tuesday night’s election results in Whittier are already telling a very clear story — and it’s one of decisive wins, not close calls.
In the headline race, Aida Susie Macedo delivered the biggest shock of the night, overwhelming incumbent Fernando Dutra with 67.04% of the vote to Dutra’s 26.88%. Felipe Longoria trailed with 6.08%.
“I am deeply humbled by the trust that voters have placed in me,” Macedo said, crediting a grassroots campaign built on volunteer support and community outreach. She also acknowledged Dutra’s concession, thanking him for his years of service and calling his outreach “gracious.”
But the District 4 result wasn’t an outlier — it was part of a broader pattern across the city.
In the mayor’s race, James Becerra holds a commanding lead with 66.39%, well ahead of Joe Vinatieri at 31.99%, while Isaiah L. Leon Savage captured just 1.61%.
District 2 is shaping up the same way, with Vicky Santana pulling in 61.14% of the vote, far ahead of Octavio Martinez at 24.87%. Other candidates, including Rene Ramos, Rolando Cano, and Brian Ahern, remain in single digits.
While the results are still semi-official and subject to certification later this month, the margins are significant — and in local elections, early percentages typically don’t swing dramatically as remaining ballots are counted.
Taken together, the numbers point to a clear shift in Whittier’s political landscape, with voters favoring new leadership and delivering decisive mandates rather than razor-thin outcomes.
Certification of the April 14 election is expected later this month, at which point the results will become official and newly elected leaders will prepare to take office.
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