Editor’s Note: This is the third edition of a new Friday feature, the Post’s weekly endorsement roundup. The section will include a roundup of endorsements received throughout the week among candidates competing for the June 7 general election.
Long Beach City Council candidates for the Second District added two new endorsements this week, just two weeks before the general election, as the race has grown ever more contentious.
This week, Gray landed an endorsement from the LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Now, while Pearce netted an official endorsement from the Long Beach Community College (LBCC) Association, their respective campaigns announced.
“Eric Gray has an impressive record fighting for LGBTQ equality in the Long Beach community,” said Equality California’s Executive Director Rick Zbur in a statement. “As a longtime community leader, LGBTQ small business owner, and devoted activist, Eric Gray is a fantastic candidate to further advance the causes of equality and inclusion in the City of Long Beach. His vision and understanding is what we need to strengthen Long Beach’s already-vibrant LGBTQ community. Equality California is proud to endorse Eric Gray for Long Beach’s 2nd Council District, and we encourage our members and supporters to elect him June 7th.”
Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide organization advocating for LGBTQ equality, according to their website.
“As a gay man, it is an honor to have the support of Equality California,” said Gray in a statement. “The 2nd Council District is home to a vibrant and flourishing LGBTQ community, which I will seek to protect and advance as its Councilman.”
Other prominent endorsements for Gray include those of Assemblymember (and former councilmember) Patrick O’Donnell, Supervisor Don Knabe, former Long Beach vice mayor Val Lerch and former mayor Bob Foster, councilmembers Lena Gonzalez and Suzie Price, as well as the Long Beach Police Officers Association and Sierra Club.
Meanwhile, the LBCC Association said they were endorsing rival candidate Jeannine Pearce based upon her support for firefighters and teachers.
“LBCC CCA is proud to endorse labor friendly city council candidate Jeannine Pearce,” said Janet Hund, president of LBCC Community College Association, in a statement. “She is a community organizer that will best represent the interests of teachers and other working families in Long Beach.”
“Having the support of the Community College Association at LBCC is a great honor,” said Pearce in a statement. “LBCC allows many students to have access to affordable, quality higher education. The professors at LBCC allow countless working families to attend school and broaden their economic opportunity. We are honored to count them and other heroes like the Long Beach Firefighters and Nurses as supporters.”
Other prominent endorsements for Pearce include those of Congresswoman Janice Hahn, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, councilmembers Rex Richardson and Roberto Uranga, Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees member Sunny Zia, the Sierra Club, the Long Beach Firefighters Association and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
This report was updated on 05/28/16 at 1:02PM, noting Eric Gray’s Sierra Club endorsement.