Wachs Takes First Steps for Possible Mayoral Campaign

Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs on Wednesday filed papers to raise funds for a possible mayoral campaign, declaring, “The city is broken, and it is painfully clear that after 20 years as mayor, Tom Bradley is not the person to fix it.”

The six-term San Fernando Valley councilman said he will make a final decision on his candidacy in a month or two.

Wachs disclosed at a City Hall news conference that he took his first step toward running in the April, 1993, election by changing his party registration from Republican to independent. Candidates for mayor run without party label, but Los Angeles is heavily Democratic.

“I don’t want to be identified by a label that doesn’t describe me,” said Wachs, 53, who has championed gay rights and rent control.

Councilman Michael Woo last week was the first to formally declare his candidacy for mayor, and Councilman Nate Holden and Assemblyman Richard Katz have been raising funds for possible mayoral bids.

Bradley has said that he will announce in September whether he plans to run for an unprecedented sixth term.

Wachs ran for mayor in 1973, finishing a distant fifth in a field of 13 candidates. That was the year Bradley first won election as mayor by defeating incumbent Sam Yorty. Since then, Wachs has built a strong base of support, particularly among gays, renters and senior citizens.

Wachs, who was reelected to the council last year, can run for mayor without giving up his council seat.