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NATIONAL
US Senator, Short Term: ALEX PADILLA
US Senator, Full Term: ALEX PADILLA
US Representative, 36th District: TED W. LIEU
US Representative, 37th District: No consensus, Sydney Kamlager
US Representative, 43rd District: MAXINE WATERS
STATE
Governor: GAVIN NEWSOM
Lieutenant Governor: ELENI KOUNALAKIS
Secretary of State: SHIRLEY N. WEBER
Controller: MALIA M. COHEN
Treasurer: FIONA MA
Attorney General: ROB BONTA
Insurance Commissioner: RICARDO LARA
Member, State Board of Equalization: TONY VAZQUEZ
Superintendent of Public Instruction: TONY K. THURMOND
State Senator, 24th District: BEN ALLEN
State Senator, 28th District: LOLA SMALLWOOD-CUEVAS
Member of State Assembly, 51st District: RICK CHAVEZ ZBUR
Member of State Assembly, 61st District: TINA SIMONE MCKINNOR
(Robert Pullen-Miles has withdrawn from the race, but his name is on the ballot)
STATE MEASURE 1: YES on State Measure 1
Right to Reproductive Freedom
STATE MEASURE 26: NO on State Measure 26
Legalize In-Person Roulette, Dice, Sports Wagering on Tribal Lands
STATE MEASURE 27: NO on State Measure 27
Legalize Online and Mobile Sports Wagering Outside Tribal Lands
STATE MEASURE 28: YES on State Measure 28
Funding for Arts and Music Education K-12 in Public Schools
STATE MEASURE 29: NO on State Measure 29
Requires On-Site Licensed Medical Professional at Dialysis Clinics
STATE MEASURE 30: NO CONSENSUS. LACDP = YES **
Reduce Air Pollution/Prevent Wildfires. Tax Personal Income over $2M
STATE MEASURE 31: YES on State Measure 31
Prohibit Retail Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products
STATE JUDICIAL
Neither our Club nor the LACDP took positions on the State Judicial candidates; all are incumbents and are running unopposed.
COUNTY
Sheriff: ROBERT LUNA
Board of Supervisors, District 3: LINDSEY HORVATH
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 60: ANNA SLOTKY REITANO
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 67: ELIZABETH LASHLEY-HAYNES
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 70: HOLLY L. HANCOCK
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 90: MELISSA LYONS
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 118: No consensus, Melissa Hammond
Judge of the Superior Court, No. 151: PATRICK HARE
COUNTY MEASURE A: YES on Measure A
Removal of Elected Sheriff for Cause
COUNTY MEASURE C: YES on Measure C
Cannabis Business Tax in Unincorporated Areas
CITY
Los Angeles City Mayor: KAREN RUTH BASS
Los Angeles City Attorney: No consensus, Hydee Feldstein Soto
Los Angeles City Controller: No consensus, Paul Koretz
Los Angeles City Council, 11th District: ERIN DARLING
Los Angeles City Council, 5th District: No consensus, Katy Young Yaroslavsky
LOS ANGELES CITY, MEASURE LH: YES on Measure LH
Additional Low-Income Housing
LOS ANGELES CITY, MEASURE SP: YES on Measure SP
Parks and Recreational Facilities
LOS ANGELES CITY, MEASURE ULA: YES on Measure ULA
Funding for Affordable Housing / Tenant Assistance / Tax on Real Property Transfers over $5 million
LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
TRUSTEE: WLADC did not take a position on LACCD Trustee. LACDP recommends the following:
Trustee Seat 2: Steve Veres
Trustee Seat 4: Sara Hernandez
Trustee Seat 6: Gabriel Buelna
Trustee Seat 7: Kelsey Iino
LACCD MEASURE LA: YES on Measure LA
Safety, Repair and Job Training
West LA Democratic Club presents
BALLOT PROPOSITIONS MEETING
Thursday, October 13th
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Endorsement Meeting
This will be a Virtual / Zoom meeting
Ballots have dropped and voting has begun. Join us this Thursday to hear both sides of the argument to vote Yes or No on each of the seven statewide propositions on the November 8th ballot.
David Dayen, esteemed journalist and editor of The American Prospect, will be our Guest Moderator.
Our Board (and the LA Times) has endorsed the LA City Measure ULA, on which there will be a brief presentation.
This will be a special endorsement meeting. You must be a member in good standing for 45 days to vote, but you may renew recently lapsed dues anytime before the meeting here.
If you are unsure of your member status, click here to check.
Be informed, then VOTE! RSVP here.
For election winning opportunities with Westside Democratic HQ, click here!
West LA Democratic Club Board Statement
on leaked audio recordings of City Council members
The West LA Democratic Club strongly condemns the despicable comments made by City Council members Nury Martinez, Kevin De Leon, Gil Cedillo and County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera. We are deeply concerned about the comments and the implications for our city’s future, and especially about the hurt inflicted on our Club member and good friend, City Councilman Mike Bonin and on his family. There should be no place in Los Angeles for racial hatred, animosity, homophobia, or corrosive stereotypes. This behavior is unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable.
Our WLADC newly-endorsed candidate for CD-11, ERIN DARLING (also endorsed by the LA Times and LACDP) is having a Meet & Greet/Fundraiser Saturday, August 27. I am honored to be a Host of this event, held in the lovely garden of a sweet Venice home. It will be a small, intimate gathering and a chance to meet and get to know this progressive man of conscience and stellar Venetian!
We have offered very affordable tickets for you, but hope that you’ll be able to support Erin generously! His opponent out-spent him 10 to 1 last election and we are aiming to help make up the difference next week! Please join me!
West LA Democratic Club presents
GENERAL ELECTION 2022 CANDIDATE FORUM SERIES
LA County Board of Supervisors
District 3
and
LA City Council District 3
Saturday, August 13th
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Endorsement Meeting
This will be a Virtual / Zoom meeting
We greatly appreciate the BOS and Council District 11 candidates clearing their schedules for us on such short notice, for the first of our 2022 General Election Candidate Forum Series.
In the next meetings we will be hearing from run-off candidates for Assembly District 61, LA City Attorney, City Controller, Council District 5 and LA County Superior Court Justices for seats that we have not previously endorsed. These will all be endorsement meetings. Join us!
NOTE: ONLY WLADC Club Members can vote in Endorsement Meetings but everyone is welcome. You must be a member for 45 days to vote in a Club election, but may renew your 2022 dues HERE and vote in the 8/13 BOS/CS11 Candidate Forums and beyond. Invite your friends and neighbors. Learn about the candidates who are running to represent you.
ENDORSEMENT VOTES:
LA County Supervisor, District 3
Lindsey Horvath – 67.7%
Bob Hertzberg – 29.0%
No Endorsement 3.2%
LA City Council, District 11
Erin Darling – 80.6%
Traci Park – 12.9%
No Endorsement – 6.5%
LA County Sheriff: Robert Luna
Yes – I approve the candidate – 93.5%
No – I reject the candidate – 6.5%
California Democrats are Doing Good Work:
Will you JOIN US?
With right-wing extremism taking over the Republican party, we cannot afford to lose our majority in Congress. Reproductive rights, voting rights, gun safety laws and an affordable America for all are on the ballot in November. Will you join us to defend our democracy and further our Democratic values? Our efforts on the ground will make all the difference in November, so let’s get to work! TAKE ACTION NOW with our affiliate Westside Democratic Headquarters!
Virtual Phone Banking
Register Dems to Flip House Seats
in Pennsylvania and Arizona
Mondays and Thursdays
6:00 pm
Phone bank now!
Write Postcards to Voters in Flippable Districts
in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
It’s easy! We provide postcards, scripts, addresses and (if needed) stamps
Write postcards from your home now!
WLADC Candidate Forum Series
Senate District 28
(Sydney Kamlager’s current seat)
Thursday, May 19th
7:00 – 8:15 pm
Endorsement Meeting
Special Guest Moderator
State Senator Ben Allen (SD24)
(formerly SD26)
This will be a Virtual / Zoom meeting
This will be a Q&A session and will include statements from each candidate.
NOTE: ONLY WLADC Club Members can vote in Endorsement Meetings but everyone is welcome. Learn about the candidates who are running to represent you.
Candidate statements: Lois Smallwood Cuevas, Cheryl Turner
WLADC Candidate Forum Series
LA City Attorney and LA City Controller
Monday, May 16th
6:00 – 8:30 pm
Endorsement Meeting
This will be a Virtual / Zoom meeting
Josh Geller, President of the LA City Attorneys Association, will moderate the candidate forum for LA City Attorney:
Cara Robin will moderate the candidate forum for LA City Controller:
These will be Q&A sessions and will include statements from each candidate.
NOTE: ONLY WLADC Club Members can vote in Endorsement Meetings but everyone is welcome.
Candidate statements:
LA City Attorney: Marina Torres, Faisel Gill, Hydee Feldstein Soto, Sherri “Onica” Valle Cole
LA City Controller: Paul Koretz, Reid Lidow, David “Ty” Vahedi
SAVE THE DATES!
Judicial Candidates for LA County Superior Court
Endorsement Meeting
These will be Virtual / Zoom meetings
Your West LA Democratic Club continues its Endorsement Meetings next week. These are for the many Judicial candidates for the offices on the Superior Court Bench.
SO many offices and candidates that we will be holding four sessions over two days. Here’s the schedule:
Saturday, May 7th: Forums at 1pm and 2pm
Monday, May 9th: Forums at 6pm and 7pm
These will be Q&A sessions and will include statements from each candidate.
NOTE: ONLY WLADC Club Members can vote in Endorsement Meetings but everyone is welcome. Get an education about the candidates.
Candidate statements:
Seat 60: Anna Slotky Reitano
Seat 3: Tim Reuben
Seat 67: Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes, Ryan Dibble
Seat 90: Kevin McGurk
Seat 70: Holly Hancock, Matthew Vodney
Seat 118: Melissa Hammond, Carolyn Jiyoung Park, Klint McKay
West LA Democratic Club presents Candidate Forums for
LA County Board of Supervisors, District 3,
&
U.S. Congress, District 37
BoS: Bob Hertzberg, Lindsey Horvath, Henry Stern
Congress: Sydney Kamlager, Jan Perry, Daniel Lee
We greatly appreciate the LA County Board of Supervisors, District 3 and U.S. Congress, District 37 candidates clearing their schedules for us on such short notice, for the fifth in our 2022 Candidate Forum Series!
Thank you candidates, we look forward to hearing from you Sunday, April 10 at 4:00PM!
The BOS Candidates are running to replace termed-out Supervisor Sheila Keuhl, and the Congressional Candidates are running to fill Rep. Karen Bass’ seat, who is not running for reelection to Congress due to her L.A. City Mayoral bid.
Candidate statements:
BOS: Lindsey Horvath, Henry Stern
Congressional: Jan Perry, Daniel Lee
Candidate statements:
Mayor: Karen Bass, Councilmember Kevin De Leon, City Attorney Mike Feuer
City Council: Eric Darling, Greg Good, Allison Holdorf Polhill, Mike Newhouse, Traci Park
West LA Democratic Club presents
Assembly Districts 62 and 51 Candidate Forums
AD 62: Angie Reyes English, Tina Simone McKinnor, Robert Pullen-Miles and Nico Ruderman
AD 51: Louis Abramson and Rick Chavez Zbur
Special Guest / Moderator
Assemblymember Laura Friedman (AD 43)
Saturday, 3/12, 11:00 am – 1:15 pm
Virtual on Zoom
We look forward to the third of our 2022 Candidate Forum Series, candidates from Assembly District 62 and Assembly District 51. Saturday, March 12 at 11:00AM. We are honored to have Assemblymember Laura Friedman as our Guest Speaker and Moderator. Laura is an environmental champion, affordable housing advocate and social justice protector.
The AD62 candidates are running to replace Assemblymember Autumn Burke, who resigned on February 1, 2022. There will be a special election April 5 to fill out the rest of ASM Burke’s term. The winner will also have to run in the Primary Election on June 7, for the next term of two years.
The AD51 candidates will be running to replace ASM Richard Bloom, who is retiring this year at the end of his term.
We had another excellent meeting last Saturday, our LA City Council, District 5 (CD5) Candidate Forum, moderated by Councilmember Mike Bonin (CD11). As in the Sheriff’s forum, there were so many good candidates that no one received the 60% threshold needed for Club endorsement:
Katy Yaroslavsky: 43.3%
Jimmy Biblarz: 26.7%
Sam Yebri: 16.7%
Molly Basler: 6.7%
Scott Epstein: 3.3%
No Endorsement: 3.3%
West LA Democratic Club presents
LA City Council District 5 Candidate Forum
Molly Basler, Jimmy Biblarz, Scott Epstein, Sam Yebri and Katy Yaroslavsky
Special Guest / Moderator
Councilmember Mike Bonin
Saturday, 2/26, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Virtual on Zoom
Thank you to those who attended our very successful Annual Meeting/Club Elections and Sheriff Candidate Forum, with special guest, Congressmember Ted Lieu, last Saturday February 12.
It was an illuminating meeting, with insights from Ted, our LA County Assessor Jeff Prang, our City Controller Ron Galperin, and four excellent LA County Sheriff candidates: Robert Luna, Cecil Rhambo, Eric Strong and Eli Vera (unsurprisingly, Villanueva didn’t bother to show up). This was an endorsement meeting, and Assessor Jeff Prang was endorsed with 100% of the vote!
We did not have an endorsed candidate for Sheriff, since we need 60% for Club Endorsement. Robert Luna had 45% of the vote, Cecil Rhambo 25%, Eric Strong 15%, Eli Vera, Sheriff Villanueva and No Endorsement each had 5% of the vote.
If you missed the meeting or want to see it again, here is the link to our YouTube channel.
We look forward to the second of our 2022 Candidate Forum Series, on Saturday, February 26, the LA City Council District 5 candidates! We hope to have you join us!
Candidate statements: Katy Yaroslavsky, Sam Yebri, Molly Basler, Jimmy Biblarz, Scott Epstein
West LA Democratic Club
Annual Meeting / Club Officer Election
Keynote Speaker: Congressman Ted Lieu
LA County Sheriff Candidate Forum
Saturday, 2/12, 4:00 – 6:00
Virtual on Zoom
On Saturday, February 12 from 4:00-6:00PM, the West LA Democratic Club will host our Annual Meeting/Club Officer Elections, and the first of our 2022 Candidate Forums: Los Angeles County Sheriff.
We invite you to join us to hear from the several Sheriff candidates – chiefs, captains, commanders, lieutenants – challenging our current Sheriff, Alex Villanueva. Sheriff Villanueva will be participating, defending his office didn’t bother to show up. We will also be hearing from our current County Assessor and 2022 candidate, Club Member Jeffrey Prang. Candidate questionnaires will be posted in forthcoming e-letters as they are received.
Our Keynote Speaker will be Club favorite, Congressmember Ted Lieu, sharing the latest news from Washington, giving an inside look at the infamous January 6 insurrection, and describing how redistricting will shape the 2022 midterm elections.
Also joining us will be LA City Controller and long-time WLADC member, Ron Galperin, giving us an update on some of the work the Controller’s office he’s been doing in the city. Ron is running for State Controller in the June primary.
LEGALESE
The West LA Democratic Club is chartered by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the California Democratic Council.
CA FPPC# 841447, FEC# C00407007
Such a good week for Democrats!
On Sunday, August 7, the Inflation Reduction Act, aka the largest investment in climate and energy initiatives to fight global warming/tax credits for renewable energy/reduction in Rx costs for the elderly/and a 15% minimum tax on corporations earning more than $1 Billion was passed by the Senate and off to the House on Friday, then to be signed into law by President Biden.
On August 9, the CHIPS and Science Act, which will put the United States on track to becoming one of the leading manufacturers of microchips and semiconductors that we use to produce automobiles, household appliances and defense systems, and will bring global chip manufacturing to the U.S. and put scientific research into AI, robotics and quantum computing, was signed into law by President Biden. It’s also a big Climate bill.
And yesterday, August 10, President Biden signed into law the PACT Act of 2022, the bi-partisan bill expanding health care benefits to millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service.
Like I said, quite a good week, for us and for the country!!
Your reproductive health data and records should stay private.
President Biden’s Executive Order takes steps to protect your privacy by addressing the sale of health data, combatting surveillance of care services, and protecting against deceptive practices or fraudulent schemes.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 17, 2022
CA’s most transformative shift in educating kids is happening now: Universal pre-k. 9 hours of enrichment a day. Free meals. Mental health support. College & career prep. As states target what kids can learn or read in the classroom, California embraces diversity & supports kids. pic.twitter.com/O8N3tgxYIB
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) July 13, 2022
JUNE 7th PRIMARY: Ballot Endorsements
The Club did not take a position on the offices we did not cover in our Candidate Forums. The following Recommendations are from your WLADC Executive Board.
US Senator (full term) – Alex Padilla
US Senator (special election) – Alex Padilla
US Congress – Ted Lieu (District 36); Maxine Waters (District 43)
Governor – Gavin Newsom
Lieutenant Governor – Eleni Kounalakis
Secretary of State – Shirley Weber
Controller – Ron Galperin
Treasurer – Fiona Ma
Attorney General – Rob Bonta
Insurance Commissioner – Ricardo Lara
Board of Equalization, District 3 – Tony Vazquez
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Tony Thurmond
State Senate – Ben Allen (District 24)
Measure BB – No Position
US Congress, District 37 – No Consensus: