BRAUDE DEPARTURE COULD EXPAND 11TH DISTRICT FIELD.Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer City Councilman Marvin Braude's decision Thursday not to seek re-election next year opens up the race between two top contenders and raises the prospect of other candidates entering the April 1997 election. It also places Braude in a position of political strength in attempting to determine his successor, even as he enters the final eight months of a 32-year career at City Hall. During his farewell news conference, Braude was coy coy adj. coy·er, coy·est 1. Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved. 2. Affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest. See Synonyms at shy1. 3. about the role he would play in the upcoming election in his district - an election he insists he could have won. ``I'm confident I would have won easily,'' said Braude, who represents portions of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and West Los Angeles
As for an endorsement, Braude said he would wait to see how the campaign plays out first. ``I'm sure I'll make an endorsement,'' Braude said. ``I'm not prepared to do so today. I am looking forward to a vigorous contest. I encourage whoever wants to run to come talk to me.'' As of Thursday, the top two contenders emerging are Braude's former chief deputy, Cindy Miscikowski Cindy Miscikowski represented the 11th District on the Los Angeles City Council for two full terms from 1997 through 2005. Previously, she was an aide to Councilman Marvin Braude and the Executive Director of the Skitball Cultural Center in its beginning stages. , and Tarzana resident Georgia Mercer, former Valley liaison to Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. . A third candidate, printer Kip kip 1 n. pl. kip See Table at currency. [Thai.] kip 2 n. 1. Kindy kindy, kindie Noun pl -dies Austral & NZ informal a kindergarten , also has filed papers. Miscikowski, a 48-year-old Brentwood resident, and Mercer, 55, both said they would be honored to get Braude's endorsement and that his withdrawal makes it easier for them to try to win backing from his longtime supporters. ``A lot of people told me they would support me if (Braude) wasn't in the race,'' said Miscikowski, who had worked for the councilman for 22 years, but left his office last year to head up the Skirball Center. She left that post to run against Braude. ``I'll be contacting them now to try to get their support.'' Mercer said she has heard similar sentiments from people she has contacted. ``A lot of people were staying out of the race because of the difficulty of going against an incumbent,'' Mercer said. ``(Braude) has a fine reputation and people were reluctant to go against him. In that way, it frees up a lot of people who said if he did decide to retire, I should give them a call.'' Democratic political consultant Richard Lichtenstein said he believes Braude's decision will help Miscikowski because of her close ties to Braude's work over the years. ``But one would suspect that others will begin to take a look at the race,'' Lichtenstein said. ``The Valley would most likely be where you would think that candidate would come.'' A number of prominent Valley figures mentioned as potential candidates, however, said they had no interest in the race. David Fleming
David Fleming , who has taken the lead role in charter reform, said he had no interest, as did businessman Nick Patsaouras, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1993, and Richard Close of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, who already has endorsed Miscikowski. ``I don't want to run for anything except maybe an elected charter commission,'' Fleming said, adding that he hopes Braude would become involved in the process as an elder statesman. Also declining interest was Steve Soboroff Steve Soboroff (born August 31, 1948) is a real estate developer and president of Playa Vista. Mr. Soboroff is the Chairperson of the Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. , who grew up in Tarzana and now lives in Pacific Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). . ``How many ways can I say no?'' Soboroff said. ``Ixnay. Ohnay. No way.'' Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky (born December 21, 1948) is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman. , who was allied with Braude on a number of issues during their years together on the City Council, said Braude can play an important role in the election. ``Now, his endorsement means something because he's going out on his own terms,'' Yaroslavsky said. ``He now has political capital, which will be of some use.'' Beyond that, Yaroslavsky said, is the political loss to the City Council with Braude leaving. ``He was always a loner loner Psychiatry A single young man estranged from society and family, who suffers from psychogenic pain, and tends to live 'on the edge', vacillating between aggression and depression; loners often have unrealistic goals, but are unable to work towards those goals and liked that role in trying to stay ahead of the council on issues,'' Yaroslavsky said. ``When he was engaged in an issue, he `was formidable in being able to see the big picture. ``You have to remember that when he was first elected Lyndon Johnson was president and Sam Yorty was serving his first term as mayor,'' Yaroslavsky said. ``That's a lot of institutional memory to lose. (Braude) knew what had been tried and worked and what had been tried and failed. That's hard to replace.'' |
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