Black Politics In California Is On And Crackin'
Assemblywoman Laura Richardson won a two-month sprint to succeed the late Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald on Tuesday, besting a better financed and more experienced opponent with the help of labor and Black leadership.
Richardson won 37.8 of the vote, to 31.3 percent for Latina state Sen. Jenny Oropeza. Millender-McDonald's daughter, Valerie McDonald, finished a distant third with 9.4 percent.
Richardson won 37.8 of the vote, to 31.3 percent for Latina state Sen. Jenny Oropeza. Millender-McDonald's daughter, Valerie McDonald, finished a distant third with 9.4 percent."I just thank God," Richardson said Tuesday night, from a party at the Home Depot Center's Stadium Club in Carson. "It's not just about money and it's not just about the number of years you've served. It's about what's in your heart."
Millender-McDonald, who represented her district for 11 years, died April 21 of colon cancer.
The top vote-getters from each party will face each other in a runoff on Aug. 21. Because Democrats hold such a strong advantage, Richardson is a shoo-in for the runoff election.
The race drew attention initially as a test of African-American political clout, as leaders worked to hold on to a congressional seat that has traditionally been held by someone Black, even as its Latino population has grown rapidly in the last decade.
The state Black Legislative Caucus rallied behind Richardson, who served on the Long Beach City Council for six years before being elected to the 55th Assembly District last fall.
But the membership of the Congressional Black Caucus was divided between those who supported the assemblywoman and those who backed the late congresswoman's daughter.
That divide may resurface very soon, as folks begin jockeying to run for Richardson's 55th Assembly seat.
While their are rumblings that city officials in Compton and Long Beach want the gig, we got five on Carson Councilman Mike Gipson.
He has had to deal with quite a bit over the last few years as Carson Mayor Jim Dear has continuously bumped heads with the up and coming brother.
A White city councilman who replaced former Black Mayor Darryl Sweeney (currently imprisoned for criminal misdeeds while in office), Dear has been mentioned as a candidate.
Hizzoner may want to rethink that decision, however, given that a vocal group of angry residents, many of whom are Black, are currently organizing to recall him.
Former Los Angeles School Board Member Warren Furutani, who lost to Richardson in the Democratic primary last year, is also reportedly mulling another run.
A special primary election to fill the seat will likely be held toward the end of October or early in November.
Like the 37th Congressional seat, Democrats run it so any Republican in the district doesn't stand a chance!
Millender-McDonald, who represented her district for 11 years, died April 21 of colon cancer.
The top vote-getters from each party will face each other in a runoff on Aug. 21. Because Democrats hold such a strong advantage, Richardson is a shoo-in for the runoff election.
The race drew attention initially as a test of African-American political clout, as leaders worked to hold on to a congressional seat that has traditionally been held by someone Black, even as its Latino population has grown rapidly in the last decade.
The state Black Legislative Caucus rallied behind Richardson, who served on the Long Beach City Council for six years before being elected to the 55th Assembly District last fall.
But the membership of the Congressional Black Caucus was divided between those who supported the assemblywoman and those who backed the late congresswoman's daughter.
That divide may resurface very soon, as folks begin jockeying to run for Richardson's 55th Assembly seat.
While their are rumblings that city officials in Compton and Long Beach want the gig, we got five on Carson Councilman Mike Gipson.He has had to deal with quite a bit over the last few years as Carson Mayor Jim Dear has continuously bumped heads with the up and coming brother.
A White city councilman who replaced former Black Mayor Darryl Sweeney (currently imprisoned for criminal misdeeds while in office), Dear has been mentioned as a candidate.
Hizzoner may want to rethink that decision, however, given that a vocal group of angry residents, many of whom are Black, are currently organizing to recall him.
Former Los Angeles School Board Member Warren Furutani, who lost to Richardson in the Democratic primary last year, is also reportedly mulling another run.A special primary election to fill the seat will likely be held toward the end of October or early in November.
Like the 37th Congressional seat, Democrats run it so any Republican in the district doesn't stand a chance!