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Most newspaper endorsements in local political races fail to pass the newsworthy test. Either the race itself is a snoozer so who cares, or the paper reflexively backs either a) the incumbent even if they don't like him or her or b) the oddball no-chance-of winning but look at us think outside the box option, backed essentially for yucks. Sometimes the choices matter, and these two might. In the 8th City Council district of South Los Angeles, there's a field of candidates running in the open race to succeed Bernard Parks, who is being termed out of the council. The LA Times editorial board picked Marqueece Harris-Dawson, even after calling him the anti-Parks candidate.
If The Times supported Parks, why would we now back Harris-Dawson?
The answer lies in the individual candidate. At the Community Coalition, Harris-Dawson has shown himself to be a talented and energetic leader capable of quickly grasping the challenges that face neighborhoods and mobilizing people to demand better treatment and more resources from government.He is rooted in community activism, but his record, and that of the coalition, demonstrates that he understands city government and how to make it work. He has mastered the art of winning nuisance abatement orders, for example, and getting enforceable conditions applied to businesses — especially motels and liquor stores — that were once centers of crime and blight….If Harris-Dawson is elected, and we hope he will be, we expect that he and The Times editorial page will often be at odds. We question an economic strategy based expressly on public jobs — although it can't be denied that such a strategy is based on the facts on the ground in the 8th District.
Another hot race for City Council is in the 14th district, centered downtown and on the Eastside, where former council member Gloria Molina (and many others) are challenging the incumbent, Jose Huizar. There's been less heat here than expected — maybe Molina is running a strategy of just get in the runoff and then ramp up. The Daily News has decided to back Huizar. In the Valley's 6th district, the Daily News is staying with incumbent Nury Martinez over challenger Cindy Montanez.
Here's what the paper says on Huizar:
Molina is the rare challenger who can run on her experience and track record. And she catches Huizar at a weak moment.
This is the councilman’s first election since a former aide accused him of sexual harassment, leading to a legal settlement last fall. No city money was paid out, but the city did incur some expense and staff work on the matter. Huizar, who is married, admits to having an affair with the staffer. His behavior was wrong.But in our interview with Molina, she did not state a case for removing Huizar because of the affair. She failed to make the case that she would be a better council member. She concedes the two are similar on the issues, and she more than once said a single new council member should not be expected to change City Hall — hardly a rally cry.
Huizar can point to significant improvements in the district covering downtown L.A. and points east and south. He should watch his behavior and finish the job.
And on Martinez:
It’s too soon to pass judgment on Martinez, who inherited big challenges concerning the area’s homelessness, prostitution, environmental issues and need for economic development and public-transit improvements.
The fact that Montanez sees an opening to hit the incumbent on the perception of slow progress on those issues suggests that Martinez, if re-elected, should do more to spell out her goals for the district and chronicle her successes in meeting them. Unlike better-off districts, whose representatives can focus on citywide issues, District 6 must know that its council member is addressing its particular needs.Montanez, a former state legislator and Department of Water and Power executive, expected to win the last time these two candidates squared off and says community members implored her to run again. But she needs to lay out specific plans for addressing the district’s problems, beyond promises to fight harder.
The Daily News previously endorsed Teddy Davis and Tomas O'Grady in the open seat to succeed Tom La Bonge in district 4. The Daily News and the LA Times both urged yes votes on Measures 1 and 2 to change the month and year of city elections.
