Los Angeles City Council candidate John Choi announced two major endorsements — from Assembly Speaker John Perez and former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis — last week.
“I am so proud to be receiving the backing of Speaker John Perez,” said Choi. “Speaker Perez has been a trailblazer and a longtime advocate on issues of equality, justice and economic fairness. As speaker and the one of the assemblymembers that represents the 13th District, I am proud to count him as a supporter.”
Choi’s campaign noted that Perez is the State Assembly’s first LGBT speaker.
“John Choi is a leader with the vision and the plans to create jobs, help solve L.A.’s budget crisis, and make sure essential programs like after-school enrichment and police are protected and expanded,” said Perez.
Choi described Solis as “a lifelong advocate for working families, whether she was in Los Angeles, Sacramento or Washington, D.C. I am proud to call her one of my supporters.”
Solis has served as a state assemblymember, state senator, and member of Congress representing the San Gabriel Valley. She was appointed by President Barack Obama to head the Department of Labor, where she served from 2009 to 2013.
“As the U.S. secretary of labor, I focused on creating and preserving good jobs in our country,” said Solis. “I wish I had John Choi helping me then. His record of creating jobs, expanding educational opportunities, and delivering great city services despite budget cuts is exactly what L.A. needs in a councilmember. He’s a fighter for his neighborhoods with the vision we need to solve L.A.’s bigger problems.”
Perez and Solis join the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, State Controller John Chiang, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Rep. Judy Chu, State Sens. Kevin De Leon and Ricardo Lara, Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE), and other community organizations, local leaders and citizen endorsers already supporting Choi.
The primary election for the seat was held on March 5, with Mitch O’Farrell, former aide to City Councilmember Eric Garcetti, and Choi getting the most votes. The runoff election will be held on Tuesday, May 21.
O’Farrell’s endorsers include Rep. Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Jan Perry, Tom LaBonge, Bill Rosendahl and Bernard Parks, former Councilmember Mike Hernandez, former District 13 candidates Sam Kbushyan, Josh Post and Mike Schaefer, Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, LAUSD Board of Education member Bennett Kayser, West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang, and Hawthorne Mayor Danny Juarez.
The 13th District, currently represented by Garcetti, who is running for mayor, is composed of Hollywood, East Hollywood, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Los Feliz, Virgil Village, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Temple-Beverly, Koreatown, Historic Filipinotown, Westlake, Wilshire Center, Melrose Hill, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Atwater Village, and Glassell Park.