Latino Group Backs No Candidate
The Mexican American Political Assn. held its annual endorsement convention over the weekend, but failed to endorse any gubernatorial candidates for the June primaries.
State Sen. Tom Hayden and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi led voting among members, but neither received the 50% necessary to win endorsement by the organization, according to Ruben Treviso, chairman of the group’s Whittier chapter.
Hayden and Garamendi were the only two major gubernatorial candidates who attended the convention, which drew more than 400 people Saturday to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
Hayden received 47% of the vote and Garamendi 43%. The front-runners in the statewide race, Kathleen Brown and Gov. Pete Wilson, were not eligible because they did not attend.
The daylong convention included discussions on various issues regarding Latinos. Treviso said group officials sought to back candidates who have opposed immigrant-bashing.
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