He said that the residents of District 1 had spoken and that they expect public safety to be the No. 1 priority as well as keeping streets clean, maintaining city parks and fixing roads.

“I will make sure that they have a voice and I will work with heart and passion to fight for what’s right,” Gutierrez said Friday.

Gutierrez’s victory, paired with District 3 Councilmember Rosario Diaz appearing poised to retain the District 3 seat, means a different City Council next year and a defeat to those trying to undo the “Tony Wu majority.”

John Shewmaker, one of Diaz’s opponents in the District 3 election, used that phrase during a candidate forum in the lead up to the election.

Wednesday, Wu posted a group photo on social media that included himself, District 2 Councilmember Letty Lopez-Viado, Diaz and Gutierrez.

“Night of victory for West Covina! Congratulations to Councilman-elect Brian Gutierrez of District 1 and Councilwoman Rosario Diaz of District 3,” Wu wrote. “Let’s continue to do great things for our city.”

Earlier this year, Wu avoided having his name on the ballot in a recall election when the group seeking to remove him from office could not garner enough signatures by the required deadline.

Gutierrez said the outcome of the District 3 election has no bearing on his role as the representative for District 1 residents.

In a letter addressed to the community, Tabatabai thanked his family and supporters. He congratulated Gutierrez and said he looked forward to supporting the city’s progress.

“This chapter may be over, but our story goes on,” Tabatabai wrote. “I remain committed to our community, and I look forward to new ways to work toward a West Covina we can all believe in.”

Tabatabai acknowledged on election night that being an “open progressive” could have contributed to the election results but that he would not have changed his approach and was proud to have stayed true to himself.

In March, Tabatabai ran in the primary for the 48th California Assembly District and finished third behind fellow Democrat Blanca Rubio and Republican Dan Tran. Tabatabai garnered 19% of the votes.

In July, he announced at a City Council meeting that he would be absent from a future meeting because he would be attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where he served as a California delegate.

Tabatabai ended up in the minority on council issues, including his opposition to the city’s effort to create an independent health department and support for a county plan to start an interim housing program at a local motel.

In reference to the City Council rejecting the county’s Pathway Home project, Tabatabai mentioned Norwalk as an example of a city that had its housing element compliance revoked because the state believed it had not done enough to support housing.

Tabatabai said it would be interesting to see what tact Gov. Gavin Newsom takes with West Covina if it continues on the current trajectory.

In his response to a questionnaire sent from this news organization, Gutierrez said he was concerned about the proposal for the city to establish its own health department and before moving forward the city would need to have guidance from the state on the potential impact on taxpayers.

“As a responsible decision-maker, I prioritize fiscal responsibility and will always consider the financial implications of such decisions for the City,” Gutierrez wrote.

Gutierrez, 34, said as someone with autism who was a foster child, his victory is an inspiration to others.

“It proved that despite the challenges a person has to overcome anything is possible if you believe in yourself,” Gutierrez said.