Mayor-elect David Ortega
By Lorraine Longhi | Arizona Republic /Sunday am
David Ortega teared up at his home Tuesday night, minutes after early election results showed he was leading in the race for Scottsdale mayor.
Surrounded by a handful of volunteers and his wife, Ortega reflected on his life in Scottsdale, where he met his wife and raised two children in their home across from Pueblo Elementary, a home he has lived in for 38 years.
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But Ortega’s tears came as he gestured to a City of Scottsdale ID card displayed on a table with photos of loved ones. Ortega’s home was decorated for the Día de los Muertos holiday, which honors the memory of family members who have passed away.
The ID card belonged to Ortega’s daughter, Alli Ortega, a longtime Scottsdale employee who died in 2014 at the age of 31.
Ortega said his mayoral campaign was dedicated to his daughter.
