Valley coming back to Hahn *

One of the story lines about Jim Hahn's mayoralty is how the Valley provided his margin of victory — with most Valley leaders endorsing him — then supposedly developed a deep dislike of the mayor over his fight against secession. While beating the drums for secession, the Daily News blasted Hahn day after day as a two-faced turncoat. The problem with the Valley-hates-Hahn line has always been that his politics may still be more palatable in the Valley than anyone else's. Villaraigosa is seen as too liberal. Hertzberg hopes to fill the niche and become the DN's Great Valley Hope, and he did win the endorsement of secession leader David Fleming, but Hertzberg needs to convince more people that he can win (or at least contend to make the runoff) to get the Valley business community to join his camp. If the runoff comes down to Hahn vs. Villaraigosa again, Hahn probably wins the Valley again, despite being the DN's bogeyman. A key reason to think so is that, on Monday, secession bankroller and Mr. Valley Bert Boeckmann (the DN's favorite advertiser) and councilman Greig Smith (from Secessionland in the far West Valley) announced they are still solid Hahn men and want the mayor reelected. Story in the Daily News. * Added thought: It doesn't hurt that Hahn appointed Boeckmann's general counsel at Galpin Motors, Alan Skobin, to the police commission.