Voters sustain Wheeler as C.A.

By: Orange News Staff | Orange County Review
Published: November 09, 2011

Orange County Commonwealth's Attorney Diana Wheeler won each precinct on her way to a third term as the county's prosecutor Tuesday.
Wheeler collected 66 percent of the vote over challenger Gil Berger who was making his first bid for elected office.
Wheeler ran unopposed four years ago and earned her first term in 2003 with 53 percent of the vote.
She pointed to her prosecutorial experience and roots in Orange County as factors in the victory. It also didn't hurt that her office has achieved four murder convictions in the past 12 months, she added.
"I think we're doing a lot of things right," she said.
Still, the final weeks of the campaign coincided with the high-profile Justine Abshire murder trial. Wheeler said with her attention devoted to the case, campaigning took a back seat.
Additionally, during that same time period, she faced a pair of family medical emergencies and expressed her gratitude for the support she and her office received during that span.
Berger said he "did what he needed to do," and "ran the campaign we wanted to run." The only thing he wasn't happy with were the results.
He cited a lack of name recognition as a possible hindrance in his bid.
"I give her credit," he said Tuesday night, acknowledging Wheeler's victory. "But I'm glad I ran. Was it worth it? Yes it was. Every ounce I put into it, every person I met and every idea shared was worth it."
Wheeler collected 5,184 votes to Berger's 2,679.

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