LOS ANGELES : Wachs Files Papers to Raise Funds for Mayoral Bid
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. He disclosed at a 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.
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