McKenna holds slim lead in race for L.A. school board

Veteran school administrator George McKenna held a narrow lead over political novice Alex Johnson in partial returns Tuesday in the race for a key seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The winner of the costly campaign could influence the direction of the nation’s second-largest school system.

The two candidates presented clearly contrasting backgrounds and allies as they vied to join the seven-member school board. The special election was held to fill the position left vacant by the death in December of Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte.

The hard-fought campaign also divided local leaders, especially within the African American community, and featured controversial allegations against McKenna, who finished a strong first in a field of seven in the June primary.

District 1 stretches across South and Southwest Los Angeles.

The winner is likely to cast pivotal votes on such issues as how teachers are evaluated and how large a pay raise they will receive, and whether L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy has the board support to pursue his vision of reform on these and other matters.

Several major political action committees backed the 34-year-old Johnson, an aide to L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, including one for charter schools; another with ties to Ridley-Thomas; a third that drew on connections with civic leaders in support of Deasy; and a fourth funded by Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents most low-wage, non-teaching district employees. Johnson had pledged unequivocal support of their salary demands in contract negotiations.

These committees spent about $800,000 on behalf of Johnson. Other committees added more than $50,000. His campaign spent more than $610,000.

Some of this money was used in mailers that attempted to turn McKenna’s five decades of experience in local school systems against him. Pro-Johnson literature suggested that McKenna was responsible, as a senior district administrator, for the lewd conduct by a teacher against children at Miramonte Elementary School. This negative message about McKenna was sandwiched between other mailers asserting that Johnson had a superlative record on school safety.

The teachers union threw resources behind McKenna -- more than $180,000. He also relied on his own fundraising, spending about $322,000, according to filings reported as of election day.

The school board considered appointing a replacement for LaMotte, but eventually opted for the special election. The winner will serve the remaining 10 months of LaMotte’s term.

Twitter: @howardblume