LA Observed: Endorsements roll in for mayor’s race

LA’s mayoral primary is two weeks from tomorrow, and some of the candidates are kicking it into higher gear with endorsements and money from Hollywood big shots, newspapers and even the loathed former Dodger owner.

Kevin Roderick is with us from LA Observed as he is every Monday with a look at the race and those who are throwing their weight around.

– The L.A. Times’ endorsement of Eric Garcetti: Something nice, when one of the country’s biggest newspaper editorial writers tell their readers you should be the man they choose, but is this really that big a deal?

– Garcetti already has the Moby vote, seen partying with the alt rock star and advocating for house music to play at LAX for travelers coming in. And now he’s touting support by actor and comedian Will Ferrell, who came out with a video for Garcetti. How much does the cool factor play into the campaign?

– Not to be outdone, Wendy Greuel’s been hob-knobbing with the big film folks of L.A., including taking money from the Dreamworks Three: Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. And about $800,000 from the powerful IBEW Union, local 18 – the one that covers thousands of DWP employees. And $50,000 from former Dodger owner – and now Dodger parking lot owner – Frank McCourt. Is money more powerful than cool?

– Kevin James got the endorsement of former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan and former top prosecutor Steve Cooley last week. No surprise there, but we really haven’t seen any of the higher-profile PAC-like money coming into the James campaign like we’d heard was about to happen. What’s going on there?

– What about the other candidates, Jan Perry and Emanuel Pleitez? Do they have any traction?