[img]2696|right|Fred MacFarlane||no_popup[/img]Five days before a handful of South L.A. voters decide Tuesday’s runoff election to decide LAUSD’s seat vacancy in the District 1, Fred MacFarlane, consultant to the underdog, was ruminating about the favored George McKenna.
“The McKenna operatives like to remind people that Mr. McKenna won the special primary election in June with a 20-point lead over Alex Johnson, who came in second,” Mr. MacFarlane was saying.
“What McKenna operatives and surrogates conveniently neglect to tell people is that McKenna was known by more than 50 percent of the voters. It’s the kind of name ID you get when you are retired after working for five decades.
“Alex was known by 4 percent of the voters.
“By all conventional political wisdom, Mr. McKenna should have won the special election outright (50%+1 vote).
“That is not what happened. Alex, the lesser known candidate, climbed 24-points in the balloting. He captured second place in a seven-candidate race to earn a spot in the special general election.
“I don’t know what polls the McKenna operatives are looking at,” said Mr. MacFarlane. “But I do know the poll results I have seen.
“Here is the upshot: The runoff election is within the margin of error.
“Alex’s name ID is comparable to McKenna’s (right around 50 percent).Undecided voters will decide the election. In the next five days, the future of education for children in LAUSD District 1 will be determined by the voters.
“Their choice is clear: Stick with the status quo, as represented by Mr. McKenna. Or vote for change and results as represented by Alex Johnson.
“The status quo does not have a sterling record of accomplishment in LAUSD District 1. It’s up to the voters to decide. It’s their choice.
“Alex Johnson expects them to choose wisely. He knows he has a path to victory. A respected poll in this two-man general election race confirms that path exists. Over these five days, Alex will walk that path to a seat on the LAUSD Board of Education.”
