Mike Woo’s Defeat of Councilwoman Stevenson

As a resident of the 13th Councilmanic District for 29 years, I think the media have significantly misread the reasons for Mike Woo’s victory.

While it is true he had Asian financial backing and the endorsement of major politicians, it was most of all an outpouring of grass-roots support.

Although only an observer of the campaign, I know from my contacts around the district that Mike had fierce allegiance from a huge potpourri of campaign workers who made personal contract with every voter many times over.

Mike was not just an Asian candidate, as there are not enough Asians in the district to sway an election. Rather he was a neighbor who happened to be Asian.

What the election says about the 13th is that its voters are colorblind where tolerance reigns supreme. We are on the vanguard of the changing nature of Los Angeles and Mike is our prophet.

On election eve, the candidate, in shirt sleeves, walked our precinct himself!

At about 7 p.m. on election day, a neighbor, who is a wealthy, sophisticated Angla in her 70s, caught me on my evening walk and said: “Have you voted for Mike yet?” “Yes,” I replied, “have you?” “That’s where I’m going right now,” she said with gusto.

FLOYD A. OLIVER

Los Angeles