Gonzalez Calls Off Assembly Bid, Gives Polanco Open Field

Los Angeles school board member Larry Gonzalez announced Wednesday that he will not run to succeed Richard Alatorre in the state Assembly, thus heading off a confrontation with another Latino candidate that could have created an acrimonious political struggle in the Eastside.

Alatorre resigned the seat last month to run for a vacant seat on the Los Angeles City Council, which he won in a special election. The chance to succeed him in the Legislature quickly became the focus for ambitious Latino politicians.

Gonzalez, a school board member since 1983, was urged to run by several Latino elected officials, including state Sen. Art Torres, Assemblywoman Gloria Molina, and Rep. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles). Richard Polanco, a former aide to Alatorre, declared the day after Alatorre won that he was “definitely” running, with the backing of his former boss expected to follow.

The possibility of both Democrats Gonzalez and Polanco running had the earmarks of a repeat of a hard-fought 1982 Assembly race. In that election, Polanco, backed by Alatorre, was pitted against Molina, a former aide to Torres. Alatorre supported Polanco and Torres endorsed Molina, who won a close race. The campaign for that seat, full of personal charges and countercharges, split Latino loyalties at the polls.

Gonzalez on Wednesday put an end to speculation that the same thing would happen again by issuing a four-page announcement from his Board of Education office. Citing a desire to stay close to his family and to remain on the local board, Gonzalez said his “greatest present responsibility is to fulfill my commitment to the betterment of education for our city.”

According to supporters, Gonzalez’s decision to step aside in favor of Polanco was influenced by discussions between Alatorre and Torres, both of whom want to avoid a battle like the one four years ago.

“We don’t need dissension, we need unity,” Torres said. “We have all reached the sophistication that all of us with the same community of interests can work for the betterment of the community.”

But other Gonzalez supporters said he also decided to stay out of the race because he was told that Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), a good friend of Alatorre’s and one of the state’s major Democratic fund-raisers, could be expected to support Polanco.

Alatorre said he discussed his support of Polanco with Brown “and if I had asked I’m sure I would have prevailed. But I didn’t have to bring him into it. I think Larry’s doing a hell of a job on the board and I’m glad we’re not getting into a situation where friends are pitted against friends.”

Asked whether those factors influenced him, Gonzalez said that they were “not as significant” as family and school board considerations.

Without Gonzalez in the race, Molina said, she may support insurance agent Mike Hernandez, who also is considering running.