Andrew Gerken was the only candidate, in any district, to say yes.

Newport Beach nominates council members by district and elects them citywide, so every Newport voter votes on this seat. The five red cards belong to Stapleton, Babajanians, Weigand, Stahr and Stoaks.

Watch the 15 seconds

Gerken, on the record

Sept 3, 2026Said yes to residential rent control, the only candidate to do so.Chamber forum video, 23:15
Aug 13, 2026$1,315.31 to the Democratic Party of Orange County.NetFile filing 217232495
Sept 14, 2026$1,000 more to the Democratic Party of Orange County.NetFile filing 217432390
2026Runs as one ticket with Walter Stahr: 32 shared donors, the same consultant, $1,500 each way.Campaign statements, 2026

Walter Stahr, in his own words

Republicans should “legislate to OPEN our borders.”¹

His capital letters. His blog. Still online. Here is the post as it appears on his site, the sentence marked.

Screenshot of walterstahr.com: the post 'Chase on Immigration,' by Walter Stahr, December 21, 2019, with the final sentence marked: 'I post this in the vain hope that today's Republican leaders will read, reflect, and legislate to OPEN our borders to those whose love of liberty and free institutions directs them to our shores.' — walterstahr.com, “Chase on Immigration,” December 21, 2019. Captured September 20, 2026. Click to open the live post.

1. Walter Stahr, “Chase on immigration,” walterstahr.com, December 21, 2019. Retrieved September 18 and 20, 2026; copies on file.

Sources

Sept 3, 2026Wake Up Newport candidates forum, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, Witte Hall, full video, rent-control card vote at 23:15.YouTube, e98NlzUPDyo
Aug 13, 2026Gerken for Newport Council 2026, campaign-finance filing 217232495: $1,315.31 paid to the Democratic Party of Orange County.NetFile, City of Newport Beach portal
Sept 14, 2026Gerken for Newport Council 2026, campaign-finance filing 217432390: $1,000 paid to the Democratic Party of Orange County.NetFile, City of Newport Beach portal
2026Gerken for Newport Council 2026 and Stahr for City Council 2026, campaign statements on file with the City of Newport Beach: shared donors, shared consultant (Christopher Jones Consulting), $1,500 given each way.NetFile, City of Newport Beach portal
Dec 21, 2019Walter Stahr, "Chase on Immigration," the post, captured Sept 20, 2026.walterstahr.com

The two NetFile entries above link to the City of Newport Beach's public filing portal, not to a single filing page. NetFile does not offer stable per-filing links; search the committee name or filing number shown to pull up the document.