War coming over Valley seat in Congress

The Daily News' Tony Castro says that despite Alex Padilla's talk of running for mayor, the state Senator from Pacoima really wants to be in Congress. That, in turn, sets up a renewal of the fight over the drawing of a so-called Latino House seat in the San Fernando Valley. From Castro's personal blog:

In 2012, insiders are saying, Padilla wants to be positioned for a congressionial seat that will have been created for a Latino in the Valley after a lot of squabbling and in-fighting in the redistricting battle ahead. None of the three House members who represent most of the Valley -- Howard Berman, Brad Sherman and Henry Waxman -- want to talk about it. But none of them have forgotten the behind-the-scenes rumble after the 2000 Census.

Latinos wanted a congressional seat in the Valley at that time, didn't get one and vowed it would be different after the 2010 Census. And they're preparing for the showdown. The only question, they say, is what scenario will play out peacefully pushing one of the incumbents out the door. The narrative some of them think is most likely has President Obama offering one of those three Congressmen a high-level administration position.

What those Latino pols haven't been looking forward to is the inevitable bloodbath that would ensue in deciding who would be the San Fernando Valley's first Latino Congressman.

The hope among Padilla's supporters is that Councilman Richard Alarcon will gracefully give up his own ambitions for Congress, Castro writes.

Add Castro blog: He calls journalist Tina Daunt's personal fashion and style blog The English Muse "the most elegant blog around."