NORWALK >> Incumbents Jack Hadjinian and challenger Vanessa Delgado Tuesday were elected after an expensive, hotly contested campaign for two City Council seats, ousting incumbent Christina Cortez.

Hadjinian, 38, a real estate salesman, had endorsed Delgado, 38, a shopping center developer for the second seat on the council.

He and Cortez, 43, an account manager for AT&T, often have been on opposite sides of a 3-2 split and have gotten into shouting matches. Hadjinian is seeking a second four-year term, while Cortez, who was first elected in 2009, is seeking her second full four-year term.

Others in the race include challengers Fernando Chacon, 51, administrative director for El Centro del Pueblo; Kimberly Cobos, 35, a psychology doctoral intern; William Paolisso, 53, a sales representative for a paper distributor; Michael W. Samarin-Popoff, 57, a printer; and Randy Smith, 47, a real estate salesman.

“I’m obviously happy the community has showed confidence in my leadership,” Hadjinian said.

“I can continue to do more good work in the community,” he said. “I want to make it clear that I ran a positive campaign based on my accomplishments.”

More than $240,000, including more than $80,000 by Hadjinian, was spent on the campaign. Chacon and Delgado each spent more than $60,000.

There were several issues, including the business climate, employee attrition, the controversial Montebello hills project – all of which boiled down to a question of whether the city is on the right track or wrong track.

Hadjinian was the only candidate to say the city is doing well.

Most of the challengers complained about what they called a poor business climate, infighting on the council, and attrition among city employees, including the loss of five department heads during the last month.

Even Cortez, who said she wanted to fire City Manager Francesca Tucker-Schuyler, was critical of the direction the city is going.

The 1,200-home Montebello hills project was another source of controversy for the candidates. Cortez and Hadjinian voted for it. Chacon wanted a referendum and Paolisso, Samarin-Popoff and Smith said they would have voted against it. Delgado said she was unsure and Cobos wanted some changes.

Also on the ballot were the city clerk and city treasurer races, which like the council races were expensive. More than $80,000 was spent on the two races.

Irma Barajas, wife of Councilman Art Barajas, and Charles Pell, a federal prosecutor were leading in the city clerk and city treasurer races, respectively.