Woo Backs Molina in Bid for New Council Seat

Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo, who feuded with fellow Councilman Richard Alatorre during the city’s bitter redistricting battle, spurned Alatorre’s choice of a candidate for the newly created 1st District council seat and on Monday endorsed Assemblywoman Gloria Molina.

Woo, who praised Molina (D-Los Angeles) as a “strong, responsible leader” with a history of political independence, backed the state legislator as the best-qualified candidate to represent the heavily Latino Eastside district.

That 1st District, which includes neighborhoods from the hillsides of Mt. Washington to the working-class neighborhoods of Glassell and Cypress parks, was carved out in a bruising City Council redistricting fight aimed at increasing Latino voter representation.

The district is 69% Latino, and two Asian-Americans and two Latinos, including Molina, are vying for the seat in the special Feb. 3 election. But Woo, the first Asian-American on the City Council, said he chose to back Molina because of her legislative record in Sacramento and her ties with local community groups.

“Regardless of ethnicity and regardless of whatever past political alliances are, clearly the best candidate in this race is Gloria Molina,” Woo told a news conference.

In backing the assemblywoman, Woo joined four other council members supporting her over the candidacies of school board member Larry Gonzalez, businessman Paul D. Y. Moore and former anti-gang organizer Leland Wong.

Woo, who once represented portions of what is now the 1st District, said he also turned down efforts by Gonzalez to win his endorsement.

Gonzalez is heavily supported by Alatorre, who clashed with Woo during the council’s months-long effort to redraw council boundaries. At one point, Woo denounced Alatorre bitterly in a rare display of public anger when it appeared that Woo’s own district would collapse under an Alatorre proposal.

But on Monday, Woo denied that his endorsement was linked to any lingering bitterness toward his colleague.

“It has nothing to do with any agreements or disagreements I have with Councilman Alatorre. I think the question here is who provides the best leadership, who is best qualified to hold this job on the City Council,” Woo said.

In praising Molina as an independent candidate, he called her the “prime engine” behind efforts to block the building of a state prison near Boyle Heights despite pressure from Gov. George Deukmejian and some fellow Democrats in Sacramento.

“She’s shown a willingness to stick her neck out even if there’s a chance it’s going to get cut off,” he added.

Woo is the fifth council member to endorse Molina, joining Pat Russell, Joel Wachs, Joy Picus and Marvin Braude, who previously offered their support.

Molina said she is delighted with the endorsement and looks forward to Woo’s active role in her campaign. Other council members who have endorsed her are participating, Molina said, including Picus, who spent four hours on the telephone Sunday lining up voter support.

Molina, meanwhile, denied reports that her campaign was hiding the results of a recent poll showing her 11 points behind Gonzalez. She hinted that Gonzalez may be behind the rumors to discourage her own fund-raising efforts.

“We’ve done no poll whatsoever,” Molina said. “And if the other candidates say that there is one, I would like to have them produce it.”

Estela Lopez, press secretary for the Gonzalez campaign, said staff members have not conducted any polls nor have they spread word about any bogus polls. “We are not involved in a deception campaign here,” Lopez said.