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Lemoore voters make a change as Madrigal takes big lead to win council seat
In third place, and finishing out of the running after serving two terms was councilmember Willard Rodarmel who tallied 1,146 votes, 18 percent. Fourth place had Holly Blair with 16 percent and 1,033 votes. Michael Montalbano was in fifth place with 9.5 percent and 596 votes.
The initial votes came in early, about 8:35 p.m. and it stayed that way most of the evening. Kings County has traditionally counted its votes late, and Tuesday night was no different as candidates stayed up late waiting for the final tallies.
For Madrigal, who was appointed to his seat two months ago when former councilmember John Gordon abruptly resigned, his top finish was vindication for all the work he’s put in on the campaign. “I’m feeling very enthusiastic about what the polls have shown so far. I’m cautiously optimistic and happy for all the people that have helped me,” he said earlier in the evening before all the votes were counted.
“It’s really been a team effort and I couldn’t have done this without all these people. The results have shown that all that hard work has paid off.”
Madrigal said he and his supporters have spent nearly every weekend walking precincts and meeting the voters. He said he mostly received positive responses from the people he met along the campaign. Does he think the voters sent the council a message with the election?
“I think that honestly that was the message that was being sent,” said Madrigal. “I’ve only been on the council for three months and I consider myself a newcomer, and Jeff (Chedester) obviously is a newcomer as well. So if the results hold out we’ll have two newcomers on the city council. I think people just wanted a change. They were tired of what’s been going on at the council meetings, and hopefully between Jeff and I, and we can get some cooperation from the other councilmembers, we can turn this city around and do some good things.”
Madrigal went on to say that he wants the public to have some confidence in their city leaders again and he and the others will work hard to do the important things Lemoore needs: improving retail sales, expanding the industrial base for example.
