The returns produced good news for Susan Anderson in her sixth straight election

Susan Anderson survived her toughest political battle Tuesday night, fending off Brian Calhoun and Paul Dictos in the primary and sidestepping a November run-off election.

With 99% of Fresno County District 2 precincts reporting, she had captured about 53% of the vote.

It was her closest call in a political career that began in 1990, when she defeated former Fresno Mayor Dale Doig to win the country clerk's job.

Anderson captured 84% of the vote in the general election that year after Doig withdrew from the race because of difficulty raising campaign funds.

No one opposed Anderson in 1994 and four years later, she garnered about 73% of the vote while defeating Doug Vagim.

In 2000, Anderson moved onto to the Board of Supervisors, claiming a 68% share to trounce then-Fresno City Council Member Ken Steitz, who was plagued by questions about whether he really lived in the district.

Anderson ran unopposed in 2004, continuing a string of easy victories.

Winning a third term to the board and a sixth-consecutive term as a county office-holder was more difficult.

Calhoun has an established support base in northwest Fresno, which he represents on the City Council, and
criticized Anderson for failing to fix the county's well-documented financial problems.

Dictos, a candidate for a variety of local elected positions through the years, also campaigned hard on a platform of bringing financial acumen and prudence to the board.

But Anderson's name recognition, loyal support base and reputation for steady leadership helped her avoid a costly run-off and kept her undefeated.