By Sarah Politis
Listen to an audio story from Annenberg Radio News:
Two powerful endorsements were announced in the race for Los Angeles mayor on Thursday. City Councilman Eric Garcetti and City Controller Wendy Greuel are running against each other in the May run-off. On Thursday, they each joined their supporters in South Los Angeles to announce the endorsements.
Jan Perry endorsed Eric Garcetti. (Photo by Neon Tommy)
Jan Perry stood in front of a crowd at the 28th street YMCA to endorse her colleague Eric Garcetti. While Perry might wish it was the other way around, since she spent most of her unsuccessful mayoral campaign competing against Garcetti.
Perry brings a lot of weight to Garcetti’s campaign with her significant influence on South LA voters. Perry has represented the 9th Council District for the last 13 years.
“If you look around, look at the people around here. They’re all here because I asked them to come. That’s an army. This is just a small section of the people I can mobilize,” Perry said.
Across South LA, Earvin “Magic” Johnson held a gathering at West Angeles Church of God on Crenshaw Boulevard to announce his support for Wendy Greuel.
Wendy Greuel was endorsed by Magic Johnson. (Photo by Neon Tommy)
Johnson, who recently became part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, said he’s a fan of Greuel’s business experience.
“She understands how to engage business to stay here in LA,” Johnson said, adding, “we need jobs for our people, not just here in south LA, but all over the city.”
Jan Perry carried the majority of the African American vote in the March Mayoral Primary and hopes those numbers will follow her endorsement for Garcetti, but many prominent African American leaders were out today to support Greuel.
Both candidates expressed a desire to build up the community. The city election takes place on May 21.
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