Get a sneak peek at the new KPCC.org! Try out our beta site and give us feedback.

City Council runoff election today in San Fernando Valley's 2nd District

Dec. 8, 2009 | KPCC Wire Services

A runoff election is being held today to fill the San Fernando Valley's vacant Second District seat on the Los Angeles City Council.

Democratic Assemblyman Paul Krekorian is facing former Paramount Pictures executive Christine Essel, a fellow Democrat, in the nonpartisan race to succeed Wendy Greuel, who became city controller in July. The winner will serve through June 2011.

Krekorian came in first among 10 candidates in the Sept. 22 special election, with 34.1 percent of the vote, according to the City Clerk's office. Essel received 28.39 percent of votes. No other candidate secured over 13 percent of votes.

The mudslinging between Krekorian and Essel sharpened as the runoff neared.

Essel filed a police report and asked the District Attorney's Office for an investigation after a letter that she claimed had been stolen from her appeared in one of Krekorian's negative campaign ads.

The letter, dated 10 years ago, was from then-Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa thanking Essel and her husband for hosting a meet-and-greet at her home.

Essel likened its alleged theft to the Watergate scandal. The Krekorian campaign said her claims were "laughable."

The Krekorian campaign asked the City Attorney's Office to uphold ethics laws after a nonprofit group linked to a powerful union filed a federal lawsuit, claiming a city campaign fundraising law was unfairly limiting its ability to support Essel.

Krekorian said it showed Essel was being backed by special interests. Essel denied the claims.

Krekorian has been endorsed by councilmen Paul Koretz and Richard Alarcon; Reps. Brad Sherman, Loretta Sanchez and Adam Schiff; Assembly Speaker Karen Bass; Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca; the Los Angeles County Democratic Party; the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley; and the Daily News.

Essel has been endorsed by the Los Angeles Times; Greuel; City Attorney Carmen Trutanich; former Mayor Richard Riordan; eight of the 14 members of the Los Angeles City Council; the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce; the Los Angeles Police Protective League; the Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Officers Association; and the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Officers.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Join our community: Like KPCC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get updates and talk about the day's news with other fans.

blog comments powered by Disqus