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Former Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg finished out of the money when he ran for mayor in 2005, and despite floating his name a couple of times, has resisted the urge to seek office again. Until now. He made the announcement tonight at a reception in Sacramento that he will run for Alex Padilla's seat in the San Fernando Valley. Padilla is running for Secretary of State and will back Hertzberg.
Hertzberg followed up with a post to Facebook:
ANNOUNCEMENT TO MY FRIENDS: I Have Decided To Seek Public Office Again In California
As so many of you know, I was proud to serve as Speaker of the California State Assembly more than a decade ago. Since then, on a volunteer basis, I have helped so many elected officials, worked for so many causes, and never have lost my deep interest in public service and what’s best for California. It is in my DNA. It is my passion. Today, I have filed the preliminary papers to begin my efforts to serve in the California State Senate representing the San Fernando Valley portion of the City of Los Angeles. A State Senate District includes nearly one million folks -- making a California State Senate District as big as the 10th largest City in America.So here is the plan:
With the support of the current incumbent, Senator Alex Padilla, who is moving on to seek the California Secretary of State’s office, I will be running in the Primary Election to be held in June 2014. The General Election will be held in November 2014. I am starting early so I have the time to run a campaign the way I like -- the old fashioned way, face to face, door to door, talking with as many folks as I can possibly meet.
I will soon formally announce among my friends in the San Fernando Valley. I am excited to begin the process. I want to begin working on the visionary big issues, as well as bringing a common sense outlook to solving our day-to-day challenges.
First, I would love for you to respond to this post by letting me know that I may use your name as a listed supporter, and, secondly, if you could, go to this link [redacted] and make a contribution. The first filing deadline is June 30th, 2013. If you want to help in any other way, let me know, and I will get you involved in the campaign effort! It will, as always, be a “Hertzberg: All Hands on Deck” operation. Any amount, at this very beginning stage, would be deeply appreciated. I want to start with a large and diverse group of supporters who reflect my many decades working for California.
Wish me luck! I am not as young as I was when I started in elected office, but I think I am wiser and as motivated as I have ever felt.
Thank you and a big hug from me,
Bob Hertzberg
In the city elections just finished, Hertzberg was a visible backer of Wendy Greuel for mayor. He also endorsed Mike Feuer for city attorney after having headed the transition for Carmen Trutanich four years earlier. One of the offices he talked about seeking recently was the state Senate, but from a district farther west.
