Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti, two long-time pro-labor Democrats, are suddenly competing over which of them will stand up to city-employee union demands. That’s one of the stories in the L.A. mayor’s race we talk about on tonight’s Friday Mixer. Joining Steve Choitakis are Gene Maddaus of the LA Weekly and Jim Rainey from the L.A. Times.
They discussed how both Greuel and Garcetti are locking up union support – yet Greuel is being portrayed as pro-union and Garcetti as anti-union. Could labor backing hurt Greuel, especially among more conservative, pro-business voters?
Meanwhile, it’s not just unions endorsing candidates. Greuel picked up support from former LA mayor, and Republican, Richard Riordan. While Garcetti added another city councilmember to his list of supporters, Paul Krekorian.
Finally, last night’s roast of Councilman Tom LaBonge allowed Garcetti and Greuel to both let off a few good zingers. Although current mayor Antonio Villaraigosa may have delivered the best joke of the night.