Current Long Beach City College Trustee Roberto Uranga has said he will vie for the 7th District Council seat, currently held by City Attorney hopeful James Johnson.
The Council spot holds a personal connection to Uranga, given his wife, Tonia Reyes-Uranga, held the seat for two terms from 2002 to 2010 and then only lost a possible third term in a runoff against Johnson. Uranga had initially planned to run for her seat in 2010 but eventually dropped out of the race, prompting Reyes-Uranga to run as a write-in for a third term.
Uranga is no stranger to Long Beach politics and civic life. He has held his position on the LBCC Board since 2000 and previously worked at the City’s Department of Health and Human Services as an administrative officer for 30 years.
His candidacy announcement came within hours after incumbent Johnson announced he would attempt to snatch the City Attorney position left open by Robert Shannon’s retirement earlier this year.
Currently, Uranga only faces one other opponent for the seat, local businessman Larry King, who hasn’t formally announced his campaign.
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