Posted on 02/10/2005 6:50:44 PM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a surprise cameo in the city's mayoral race Thursday, lining up behind a controversial proposal by candidate Bob Hertzberg to dismantle the huge Los Angeles Unified School District.
The popular governor, who lives in the city's Brentwood section, has said he will not endorse a candidate before the March 8 primary election. But Schwarzenegger, by embracing Hertzberg's signature issue, appears to be sending a tacit signal of his preference without taking the political risk of a formal endorsement in a crowded field.
The Republican governor is backing Hertzberg's plan because he "supports having smaller districts that can be more responsive to communities," said Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's spokeswoman.
It was not clear what, if anything, Schwarzenegger would do to push the school reorganization, which would ultimately need voter approval.
The mayor has no authority over the 750,000-student district, the second-largest in the nation, and Hertzberg has provided few details of how the system would be reshaped. Other candidates have dismissed Hertzberg's idea as a political gimmick to win votes, especially in the San Fernando Valley, Hertzberg's home turf where support for dismantling the district is strong.
In a statement, Hertzberg said, "This monstrous bureaucracy has failed our kids and is simply too big to fix. As mayor, with the governor's support, I will break it up to create small, neighborhood districts with parents and teachers in charge."
District Superintendent Roy Romer said Schwarzenegger's comments about the system were "not helpful," citing a $14 billion construction program and improving test scores.
"We need people to help push this wagon down the hill and not throw rocks in the road. That is what the governor is doing," Romer said.
Hertzberg is one of four major candidates trying to oust Mayor James Hahn. Like the incumbent, they are all Democrats.
If no candidate wins 50 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan primary, the top two vote-getters move on to a May 17 runoff.
Raphael Sonenshein, a political scientist at California State University, Fullerton, who is not aligned with any campaign, said the Republican governor's support for the school plan allows him to use his influence in the mayor's race without "alienating whoever might become mayor, if it's someone other that Hertzberg."
Hertzberg and the governor are friends, and he has ties with his administration. Hertzberg served on Schwarzenegger's transition team after he was elected in 2003 and, later, as an informal liaison with Democrats in Sacramento, where Hertzberg was once Assembly speaker.
"Politically, he and Arnold are very similar and that's the base he's aiming at - moderate Democrats, Republicans and white voters," Sonenshein said.
"Hertzberg's issue is to get into the runoff. To get into the runoff, you need a strong and substantial base. This issue plays very well in the San Fernando Valley," a stronghold of Hertzberg support, Sonenshein said.
In another sign that Hertzberg was building strong ties with Schwarzenegger, he was endorsed Thursday by state Education Secretary Richard Riordan, a former Los Angeles mayor who was appointed by Schwarzenegger. While mayor, Riordan helped get a slate of reformers elected to the school board. Riordan's wife is co-chair of Hertzberg's campaign.
Schwarzenegger's decision to back the school plan could bring a measure of attention to a race that has been largely ignored by the fickle city electorate. A recent Los Angeles Times poll found voters had no clear favorite in the race, with many undecided.
Hertzberg , a democrat who is talking like a Republican a lot lately, is challenging Hahn for LA Mayor.
This should keep the entrenched LA liberals shaking for awhile.
Unfortunately, it may end up another runoff rematch between Hahn and Aztlan Tony Villaraigosa. Like a choice between dumb and incompetent and dumb and evil. :-(
Stay well, and well armed............FRegards
If former governor Gray Davis had offered a comment supporting a proposal of one of the candidates last time, or if in fact he endorsed a candidate (Villaraigosa), I'm sure the AP wouldn't have used such a headline.
That was a special touch , but not surprising.
Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News."
Encouraging news. Hopefully common sense and logic is not actually dead on the left coast.
Today they did Alarcon. I didn't read it, but I guess they're going to profile each of the frontrunners.
The Valley will back him in the election
If Hertzberg is the most conservative of the frontrunners, I hope he truly believes in his policy plans and isn't just saying things to win and then turn around emphasizing the liberal aspects of his politics. I'm not in LA County or City (whichever this election is for), but was curious if you knew offhand: did any candidate support Valley Secession a few years ago?
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