Less than a month to go before the June 8 primary election, four prominent community members yesterday jointly announced their endorsement of California Democratic Party Secretary Reggie Jones-Sawyer to replace termed out former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass in Assembly District.
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From left, L.A. City Councilman Bernard P{parks, L.A. Sentine publisher Danny Bakewell Jr., Mr. Jones-Sawyer, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), and Steve Gourley, President of the Culver City School Board
They are U.S. Rep. Waters (D-Los Angeles), Los Angeles City Councilmember Bernard Parks Sr., Steve Gourley, President of the School Board in Culver City, and Los Angeles Sentinel publisher and philanthropist Danny Bakewell Sr.
The 47th Assembly District includes Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills, Mid-City, West Adams, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Koreatown and South Los Angeles.
“It is important that there be a wide range of support, and you you don’t get that,” said Ms. Waters, “unless, of course, you’ve been about the people’s business, and that he has been. I am joining with all of them to endorse Reginald Jones-Sawyer because he embodies the type of steady, thoughtful leadership we need in the state of California.”
Said Mr. Bakewell of the candidate:
“He represents the kind of involvement we would hope all of our elected officials would have before they go to the Assembly. He is not a Johnny-come-lately. He is not someone who saw the seat and decided to seek it. He is someone who has labored in the fields. He is someone who rose through the Democratic Party. He is someone who lives in this community. He has lived in this community for many years. He is the best person for the job.”
Mr. Parks, chief of the LAPD before being elected to the City Council, said that he has worked with Mr. Jones-Sawyer the span of his career with the city of Los Angeles.
“He brings with him a perspective that is different from those who have just stayed in the political process,” the Councilman said. He has a foundation of understanding. He also is a person who has worked with through the system. He understands the full democratic process. The great thing about Reggie is we do not have to give him a position on healthcare. We do not have give him a position paper on the needs of the community and poverty. We do not have give him a position paper to understand the impact of state government on the city’s future. These are things that he lives and understands from his day-to-day work and something that I think he brings—a different view to the state Assembly.”
“I look forward to working with Reggie,” Mr. Gourley said, “because he is a friend. Because he is a friend, he is loyal, compassionate and intelligent. We need him Sacramento and in this district.”
