LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Mayoral candidates Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel today won dueling endorsements from Congress members representing South Los Angeles.
Greuel named Congresswoman Maxine Waters as her campaign’s co-chair at a news conference on the steps of City Hall.
Waters, who represents Westchester and the South Bay, as well as South Los Angeles, said that as co-chair, she would “be involved in some of the planning that will take place to implement the campaign.”
“And then of course we will have a structure, and we will all work within that structure to carry out the mission of the campaign,” she said. “I will be happy to walk precincts, make telephone calls, to do planning, to raise money, to do all of that.”
Greuel called Waters, who is serving her 12th term on Congress, “one of the most powerful women in American politics and a tireless advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor” who has “fought her entire career fighting to bring economic opportunities to South Los Angeles.”
Garcetti answered Waters’ endorsement with one from Congresswoman Karen Bass, whose district includes South Los Angeles as well as Mid-city and the Westside.
“I am happy to endorse Eric Garcetti for Mayor of Los Angeles,” Bass said. “I have seen how he has created jobs and economic development in our city, and I know that as Mayor, he will do the same for South Los Angeles.”
Waters’ endorsements also came with promises to invigorate Los Angeles’ job market and economy, with Greuel saying she and her new co-chair would “partner to invest in jobs and job-training programs, spur economic development and support the creation of small businesses in Los Angeles so every Angeleno has an opportunity to succeed.”
Greuel recently also received endorsements from another congresswoman, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and former President Bill Clinton. Ex-basketball player and businessman Magic Johnson has also backed her.
Over the weekend Garcetti won the backing of Council President Herb Wesson and former Council members Nate Holden and Rita Walters at a rally in South Los Angeles attended by Council members Jan Perry and Bernard Parks.
