As I wrote in my previous column, Long Beach needs to secure a strong candidate for the 55th Assembly seat in the likely event that current Assemblymember Laura Richardson moves on to Congress. If we do not replace Richardson with a Long Beach resident, we will lose immense clout in Sacramento. We already have the 54th Assembly seat currently held by Betty Karnette….we can’t afford to lose Richardson’s.
The Assembly seat, covers portions of Long Beach, Lakewood, Carson and Wilmington. A strong local candidate could consolidate the Long Beach and Lakewood vote to win the seat. It also seems likely that Carson Mayor Jim Dear and Carson Councilmember Mike Gipson will both enter the race. That’s good for us since they will split the large Carson vote.
So who could run as a Long Beach candidate? I spent yesterday chatting with some political friends and junkies and here’s the list they came up with….please remember that all of these are speculation…..
Councilmember Val Lerch
Councilmember Rae Gabelich
Water Replenishment District Director Lillian Kawasaki
6th District Candidate and Labor Organizer Al Austin
LBCC Board Member Roberto Uranga
And of course there is the possibility that Vice-Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal or Councilmember Tonia Reyes-Uranga could decide to leave the 54th Assembly campaign and run for the 55th….although that does not seem likely.
So let’s hope that we can all get behind one candidate and keep the 55th seat in Long Beach.