The 37th Congressional district includes most of Long Beach, Carson and Compton. In a special election tomorrow, voters will choose a replacement for Juanita Millender-McDonald who died of cancer in April. Even if nobody wins outright, the winner of the Democratic primary is expected to beat any Republican in a runoff. Like many predecessors, Millinder-McDonald was African-American. To replace her, the two leading candidates are African-American Assemblywoman Laura Richardson and Hispanic State Senator Jenny Oropeza. Millender-McDonald’s daughter, Valerie McDonald, is also running. All are Democrats, but the contest has raised questions about what’s been called an unwritten rule of Los Angeles politics.
Racial Politics Behind Race For Millender-Mcdonald Seat
Credits
Guest:
- Constance Rice - Civil rights attorney based in Los Angeles and Co-Director of the Advancement Project in Los Angeles