Antonovich looking at another elected job

You might think after 45 years in elected office, going back to the original community college board seated in LA (with future governor Jerry Brown), that Michael Antonovich would be done when he is termed out from the county Board of Supervisors next year. But nope. Antonovich has begun the paperwork to run as a Republican in a state Senate district that runs east along the foothills from Tujunga all the way to Upland. Antonovich previously served in the state Assembly, and in the 1980s he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, but I don't recall that he has ever before tried to check the state Senate box on his career politician resume.

"I have a proven track record of building bipartisan coalitions to accomplish goals and objectives," Antonovich told the LA Times on Wednesday. The race will be an open seat because Democrat Carol Liu is being termed out.

He joins an already crowded field of other hopefuls who have filed papers, including state Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) and former Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Portantino.

Others who have filed papers of their intent to become a candidate include Democrats Teddy Choi, Phlunte Riddle, Katherine Perez-Estolan and Chris Chahinian, who declined to state a party affiliation.

Voter registration in the district is 41% Democratic and 30% Republican.

"The supervisor is well known, but I don't believe that his positions on issues like choice, the environment and marriage equality fit the district's,” Portantino said.