Is Villaraigosa Over?
Local political watchers seem to agree: L.A.'s Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa may have won his second term mere months ago, but it's probable that his political future is over.
From the L.A. Times to the Daily News to the L.A. Weekly, the defeat of his preferred city attorney candidate Jack Weiss is a news hook to have His Honor framed, as this month's daring L.A. Magazine cover has it, as a "failure."
The L.A. Times sums up why recent events are so troublesome for the mayor:
Villaraigosa already had a weaker than expected showing in his March 3 reelection campaign, securing 55% of the vote against nine poorly funded opponents. His solar energy plan, Measure B, fell short of passage on the same ballot.Now, the electorate has delivered a "slap" to Villaraigosa with the defeat of Councilman Jack Weiss....one longtime Democratic Party activist saw a connection between the city attorney's race and Villaraigosa's next move. "I'm sure the frustration he feels about last night's outcome will be part of his consideration about whether he runs" for statewide office, said Eric Bauman, chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party..... Councilwoman Janice Hahn....said the election results could make her colleagues less accommodating when they disagree with the mayor. Hahn already moved earlier this month to block the mayor from creating a $205,000-a-year executive position at the Port of Los Angeles....
Ever-disgruntled local newsblogger Mayor Sam has a great compendium of thoughts on how the special election results mean trouble for the Mayor and the whole local, and state, power structure.
L.A. Magazine's list of civic luminaries giving their varied visions of how the mayor needs to play his second term is worth studying as well---for us and for him.
Previous City of Angles blogging on Villaraigosa's precarious position here and here.
The image associated with this post was taken by Flickr user Stewart James. It was used under user Creative Commons license.
