Mayor Riles LGBT Community with 45th AD Endorsement

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stepped into the hotly contested 45th California Assembly District race by endorsing Kevin DeLeón, who just happens to be the best friend of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez. By taking this action, the Mayor has decided to endorse in a Democratic primary race with five Latino candidates: DeLeón, housing rights attorney Elena Popp, college instructor Gabriel Buelna, Cesar's granddaughter Christine Chavez and former Republican Oscar Gutierrez. MadProfessah has endorsed Popp. This is not only becaise she is the only openly gay candidate in a race to replace an openly gay elected official, but she is also the most progressive and most highly qualified. The last few paragraphs of Dvaid Zahniser's article in the LA Weekly on the race subtly communicate the point that being the most qualified candidate may not be what gets you an endorsement:

“What you should do is look at our qualifications,” [Popp] said. “And if, at the end of the analysis, you think that I am more qualified, and yet Kevin got the endorsement of his childhood friend and other folks associated with his childhood friend, then what is that, if not a boys’ network?”

Asked whether he had placed friendship over qualifications, Villaraigosa provided a two-word answer: “Absolutely not.”

Nuñez gave a lengthier, yet similar, response: “I certainly respect every other candidate in the race. The 45th always produces good candidates,” he said. “But Kevin, in my view, is the best qualified.”

Mmmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmm. Right.