Can a New Member Shake Up the LA City Council?

The LA City Council has been described as "ideologically homogenous," where members who disagree don't vote "no" but call in sick to protect the image of tranquility. In 2009, the members voted unanimously 99.3 percent of the time. Last year it was 97.5 percent. Janice Hahn left the 15th Council District when she was elected to Congress and the runoff to replace her will be held next Tuesday. The district includes Watts, South Los Angeles and a four-block wide, eight-mile long strip of neighborhoods called Harbor Gateway stretching south to San Pedro, Wilmington and Harbor City. The runoff candidates are LA Policeman Joe Buscaino, a San Pedro native who's never run for elected office, and Warren Furutani, who was born in San Pedro but lives in Harbor Gateway. He was an elected LA School Board member for eight years and is currently a Democratic state Assemblyman. Council offices are technically nonpartisan.