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LA Mayor endorses Antonio Villaraigosa for CA Gov.
Villaraigosa previously served as the 41st mayor of Los Angeles, a member of the Assembly, and former Speaker of the California Assembly.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has formally endorsed former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in his campaign for governor of California.
What they're saying:
During a press conference in Los Angeles' Crenshaw district, Bass highlighted their long-standing political alliance and friendship.
"For me, this is a special moment. I know I have stood at a podium endorsing my brother from another mother on numerous occasions. Because, in fact, we have known each other and worked together our entire adult lives... We have always believed that the way you bring about change is you do it together. You build coalitions because our issues and our problems are similar."
She added that Villaraigosa "knows the Legislature, who knows the legislative process, who knows how you build relationships, who knows our city."
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Bass endorses Villaraigosa for California governor
The two leaders have a long history of political alliance and have known each other for decades.
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In his acceptance, Villaraigosa said, "I am honored to have the endorsement of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. I greatly appreciate her support in this campaign and look forward to collaborating with Mayor Bass for the health, safety and betterment of Angelenos and all Californians."
He also stated, "we aren't here today because we're all friends. We're here today because these times are difficult. We face big challenges in this state. We need a broad coalition of people in this state to take on those challenges."
The backstory:
Bass and Villaraigosa have a long history of working together on issues in South Los Angeles and East Los Angeles, even before they were elected officials. Villaraigosa served as the 41st mayor of Los Angeles and as the former Speaker of the California Assembly.
Bass praised his past work on a range of issues from children's health and the environment to the development of the metro K line.
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Villaraigosa noted he has known Bass for more than 50 years.
By the numbers:
A recent Emerson College poll shows former Democratic representative Katie Porter leading the gubernatorial race with 18% of the vote.
She is followed by Republicans Steve Hilton at 12% and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 7%. Villaraigosa is polling at 5%.
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The Source: This information is compiled from direct quotes provided by Mayor Karen Bass and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a public press conference in the Crenshaw district. The poll numbers are explicitly sourced from a recent Emerson College poll.