In Escondido, a mariachi band was on hand to celebrate the beginning of a new era in the city's leadership.
Democrat Paul McNamara was sworn in Wednesday to replace two-term mayor Sam Abed who supported a proposed border wall and fought the concept of sanctuary cities.
Abed was elected mayor in 2010 and served on the City Council for six years in a community where more than 51 percent of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census figures.
McNamara, a 20-year Escondido resident, told our sister station Telemundo 20 that the Hispanic or Latino community no longer should feel they will be treated as a problem by the city's leadership.
"We're going to celebrate the fact that we're so rich in that culture," McNamara said after he was sworn into office.
On Election Day, Abed had bragged that Escondido was a cornerstone for conservatives in the county.
Also sworn into office was Consuelo Martinez as City Councilmember for District 1. Martinez defeated councilmember Ed Gallo in the November election.
