L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich plans run for state Senate

The contest to succeed Democratic state Sen. Carol Liu when she leaves office next year has drawn another big name: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

The Republican supervisor, who like Liu is being forced to leave his current post by term limits, has filed papers giving his intent to run for the 25^th Senate District seat next year.

“I have a proven track record of building bipartisan coalitions to accomplish goals and objectives,” Antonovich told The Times on Wednesday.

He joins an already crowded field of other hopefuls who have filed papers, including state Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) and former Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Portantino.

Others who have filed papers of their intent to become a candidate include Democrats Teddy Choi, Phlunte Riddle, Katherine Perez-Estolan and Chris Chahinian, who declined to state a party affiliation.

Voter registration in the district is 41% Democratic and 30% Republican.

“The supervisor is well known, but I don’t believe that his positions on issues like choice, the environment and marriage equality fit the district’s,” Portantino said.

Antonovich, who served in the state Assembly in the 1970s, said he has represented 90% of the Senate district as a county supervisor and has strong support there. Issues he wants to work on include public safety, foster care, mental health and the state’s finances.

The district extends along the foothills from Sunland-Tujunga in the city of Los Angeles on the west to the city of Upland in San Bernardino County on the east. It also includes Glendale, Pasadena, Altadena, Atwater Village, La Crescenta, Montrose, South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Duarte, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, San Antonio Heights and most of Burbank.