When lagging former City Councilman Scott Malsin files later this month to attempt to return to the dais, he probably should shlep his own signal light.
Traffic is multiplying.
The candidate field is growing unexpectedly crowded after young Seth Lennon Weiner pulled papers on Tuesday for the City Council race.
That makes five, two incumbents and three who would love to be.
Mr. Malsin, according to friends, long has believed the momentum of his recent incumbency would smoothly restore him to office. However, the increasingly rugged terrain may wash him out and away with the next wave.
Four Council seats are open.
The now-outdated thinking from last year was that three incumbents and Mr. Malsin — who, creatively, quit last month to protect his city-sponsored health benefits — would turn the campaign into their own insiders-only party. Everyone would be guaranteed a seat. The only question concerned the order of finish since the fourth-placer would get stuck with the two-year seat while his comrades all would win four-year terms.
Funny things, though, began to happen.
Candidates Mushrooming
One day in December, Councilman Chris Armenta said that for job-linked reasons he would not run for re-election.
Days later, Mr. Malsin made his dramatic I Shall Leave but Return announcement from the dais. Said he was withdrawing for his family’s sake, to guard his benefits, but he added that numerous people had begged him to win back his Council chair so he could continue, he said, enhancing the community.
Human sparks stared flying.
• Councilman Andy Weissman held his campaign-launcher eight days before filing opened.
• Meghan Sahli-Wells said she would make a second try and winning a seat.
• Jim B. Clarke, a well-known political figure around Culver City, surprised many, beginning with himself, by declaring his candidacy.
• Fourth in line was Mayor Mehaul O’Leary to say, sure ‘n begorrah, he was runnin’.
• When the newcomer Mr. Weiner said “Scoot over, guys,” this week, Mr. Malsin’s task of climbing back onto the dais began to look a bit taller.
