4 Opponents Back Wright in 8th District

Roderick D. Wright’s bid to win the 8th District City Council seat in Los Angeles received a boost Friday when four of his opponents in last week’s primary election announced that they are endorsing him.

Wright, 38, whose surprise second-place finish was largely credited to the support he received from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), will face civil rights activist Mark Ridley-Thomas in a June 4 runoff. Ridley-Thomas, executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, has been endorsed by Mayor Tom Bradley and Councilman Robert Farrell, who is vacating the seat.

“If there was one clear message, it was definitely that the voters rejected the current leadership and want to make a change,” Wright said on the steps of City Hall. He was joined by Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson (D-Los Angeles) and the four primary opponents--Kerman Maddox, Billy Mills Jr., Norma C. Mena and Jonathan Leonard.

They said Wright would provide a needed change from Farrell, who was first elected to the council in 1974.

“We are looking for new leadership; someone who will provide new direction and break with tradition,” said Maddox, whose campaign for City Council included an effort to recall Police Chief Daryl F. Gates.

It is not known who the other four candidates in the primary will endorse.

Wright, a political consultant and former aide to Waters, said he sees himself becoming part of a “new partnership” with Waters and Archie-Hudson in providing services to the district.