AD-43: Gatto Prohibitive Favorite As Main Rival Exits

MadProfessah-endorsed candidate for the 43rd Assembly District seat and top vote-getter in the Tuesday April 13th Special Primary election Mike Gatto is now the prohibitive favorite to win the seat after his main rival Nayiri Nahabedian announced that she is suspending her campaign.

MadProfessah actually heard the news at the California Democratic Convention on Saturday from multiple sources but since it had not been confirmed in writing until the Daily News printed a story about it today and the candidate's website was not updated with the information, I waited until today to report the news.

From the Daily News article:

A consultant to Nahabedian said Tuesday the Glendale school board member won't campaign for the June 8 primary for the next full two-year term in the Assembly's 43rd District. Her name, however, will still appear on the ballot alongside Democrats Gatto and Chahe Keuroghelian and Republican Sunder Ramani because it is too late to remove it.

[...]

Paul Mitchell, a campaign consultant, said Nahabedian decided to stop campaigning after talks that included Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles. Mitchell said Nahabedian wanted to create "unity among the Democrats" and avoid "confusion" for voters in the Gatto-Ramani runoff.

[...]

"While I'm pleased to have one less opponent in the race, I'm taking nothing for granted," Gatto said. "These races are not done yet."

Having placed first in the special primary election, Gatto would be the only Democrat to be eligible to fill out the rest of Paul Krekorian's term in the June 8 run-off election. Additionally, he is now the prohibitive favorite to win the legislative primary election (also on June 8) to be the Democrat on the November ballot to win his first of three two year terms to represent the 43rd Assembly District.

Congrats, Mike!