[img]1742|right|Mr. Garcetti||no_popup[/img]Proving that touting your own record plays more favorably with voters than constantly launching acerbic bombs against your opponent, three-term Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti last night fairly swamped City Controller Wendy Greuel in the runoff for mayor.
Seizing control early of a matchup that wrongly was judged to be close, the 42-year-old gilded Garcetti becomes the youngster mayor in Los Angeles history on July 1 when he replaces termed-out Antonio Villaraigosa, who turns 60 years old without decent job prospects because of self-inflicted social miscalculations. Translation: Hard, and ill-timed, partying. In 39 days, outside of Lindsay Lohan, he will be one of the most reputed jobless guys in the country.
For a pleasant departure, all of yesterday’s high-profile races were decisive.
City Attorney
[img]1610|left|Mr. Feuer||no_popup[/img]Proving that keeping your head down, concentrating on endorsements and fundraising rather than barking (or replying to) criticism, is especially appetizing to half-attentive voters, Mike Feuer was the day’s most lopsided winner in the City Attorney’s race, 62 percent to 38 percent over incumbent Carmen Trutanich.
In the most impressive validation yet of his eyes-straight-ahead strategy, Mr. Feuer, by a Jenny Craig margin, attracted more votes than any non-Martian competing, 195,913. Not only was that 75,000 more than Mr. Trutanich, but fully 14,000 more than Mayor-elect Garcetti, whose race received far more media attention.
9th District City Council Seat
[img]1776|right|Mr. Price||no_popup[/img]Proving that a bulging bank of green and a bulging chorus of the best known politicians in Los Angeles is an unbeatable combination, Curren Price – Culver City’s state senator for the last four years – almost doubled his margin of victory in last March’s primary to win the open 9th District City Council seat. That description resembles a paper tiger, however, because it is truer than it is precise.
In the primary, Mr. Price defeated freshman candidate Ana Cubas by 275 votes in a South L.A. neighborhood that is ethnically sharply divided between new majority Latino and formerly predominant black.
Emblematic of his status as a Sacramento fixture with established relationships, Mr. Price swept the endorsements across the state government hierarchy, raised more money than any Council candidate in any district plus gained the crucial backing of influential veterans such as County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and retired U.S. Rep. Diane Watson.
In the runoff, the very lightly funded Ms. Cubas who could not come close to Mr. Price’s people-plus-money strategy did fine, finishing just 541 votes back, 5184 to 4643, 53 percent to 47 percent. She probably will be back, knowing the mandatory ground that must be made up, even when relatively few votes are at stake.
Where Is Our Senator?
Meanwhile, Culver City woke up this morning shopping for a state senator – state Assemblyperson Holly Mitchell (D-Culver City) being the first person mentioned for an upcoming special election.
In the third and final citywide race, the City Controller’s outcome was a sobering lesson for overconfident veteran politicians.
Ex-cop and longtime City Councilman Dennis Zine was taken to a woodshed on the edge of a forest where newcomer Ron Galperin battered him into submission, 56 percent to 44, succeeding the dethroned Ms. Greuel.
Typically, the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees contests draw less attention than a one-car funeral.
A bit confoundingly, the veteran Nancy Pearlman not only hammered David Vela, 57 percent to 43 percent, only Mr. Feuer drew more votes than Ms. Pearlman.
Her 183,578 total was 1,583 more than Mayor-elect Garcetti and 46,000 more than Mr. Vela.
Other Races
Elsewhere, Gil Cedillo, another former state legislator remembered for promoting drivers licenses for illegal aliens, won the 1st District Council seat over Jose Gardea (52.4 percent to 47.6), Cindy Montanez became the only woman on the Council, defeating Nury Martinez (43.5 percent to 23.5), and Mitch O’Farrell won the bitterest Council race, Mr. Garcetti’s Hollywood bailiwick, the 13th District (53 percent to 47).
Monica Ratliff won the LAUSD School Board seat over Antonio Sanchez (52 percent to 48).
Among the three ballot measures, Prop. C, limiting political spending by corporations, prevailed 77 percent to 23. Prop. D, capping marijuana dispensaries, was approved 63 percent to 37. Ordinance E, allowing new and existing marijuana dispensaries, lost 59 percent to 41.
