Endorsements mount in two heated Assembly races

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State Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino) has endorsed attorney Andrew Lachman, one of four candidates for an open, newly drawn San Fernando Valley-based state Assembly seat. Lachman also announced some additional backing, including three labor endorsements -– Laborers Local 300, Painters & Allied Trades Local 39 and Plumbers Local 78 — and Marlene Bane, a member of the Jewish Home for the Aging board of governors. (Bane also has endorsed one of Lachman’s competitors in the June primary for the District 46 seat, Adrin Nazarian, who is chief of staff to Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian.)

Another candidate in that race, businesswoman Laurette Healey, added the California branch of the National Women’s Political Caucus to her endorsement list. The fourth announced candidate is charter schools executive Brian C. Johnson. All four candidates are Democrats.

In another already heated Assembly race, for District 50 on the Westside, activist Torie Osborn this week picked up an endorsement from Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon. Assemblywoman Betsy Butler (D-Marina del Rey) announced backing from three more labor unions: the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1442, the Amalgamated Transit Union of California and its Los Angeles chapter, Local 1277. Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom also is running for the seat. All three are Democrats.

-- Jean Merl