Author hits campaign trail early in bid to unseat congressman

Best-selling author Marianne Williamson isn’t wasting any time hitting the campaign trail since her announcement Sunday that she will challenge veteran Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) next year.

The self-described “thought leader” will be at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Redondo Beach on Thursday evening. It will be her first political appearance since announcing her candidacy.

Williamson, a former Democrat, said she will run as an independent in the largely affluent, coastal 33rd Congressional District, which runs from Beverly Hills and Malibu to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Television producer and director Brent Roske, who announced earlier he is running as an independent, said on his campaign website he was “surprised and excited” when he learned Williamson had joined the race.

“This could be just what we need to shine a spotlight on this race and the issues at hand,” Roske said.

Waxman is one of the most prominent liberals in Congress. He was challenged last year by independent Bill Bloomfield, a former Republican and wealthy businessman and philanthropist who spent nearly $8 million, mostly his own money, on the race.

Running in a redrawn district that included large chunks of territory that was new to him, Waxman won, 54% to 46%. He spent $2.7 million on last year’s race and reported having $465,000 already in the bank for the coming election as of Sept. 30, the end of the most recent campaign finance reporting period.

Democrats outnumber Republicans among the district’s registered voters 44% to 27%, but nearly one-fifth of voters are registered with no party preference.

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jean.merl@latimes.com

Twitter: @jeanmerl