L.A. ELECTIONS / 10TH COUNCIL DISTRICT : Bradley Backs Sanders in Bid for Holden Seat

Former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley stepped out of political retirement Wednesday to endorse attorney Stan Sanders as he tries to unseat Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden.

Bradley, who left office two years ago, said at a news conference that Sanders represented the 10th City Council District’s “hope for the future.”

The 77-year-old former mayor, who once represented the 10th District himself, called Sanders’ life--a childhood spent in Watts, a Rhodes scholarship and Yale law degree--a Hollywood success story. He also said the attorney “has never forgotten his roots.”

Sanders called Bradley’s endorsement a “defining moment” that “says a lot about the respect and support” his campaign has gained. “Tom Bradley is a living legend,” the challenger said. “To follow in his footsteps is a personal privilege and milestone for me.”

Sanders said Bradley gave him his start at City Hall by appointing him to the Recreation and Parks Commission, where, Sanders noted, he worked to improve parks in poor neighborhoods and helped bring the Raiders football team to Los Angeles.

Holden took news of the endorsement calmly but said it surprised him because he believed he had received assurances from the former mayor that he would stay neutral in the race.

Bradley, now an attorney with a Downtown law firm, said later that his promise to remain on the sidelines was good only for the primary, not for the general election.

Bradley and Holden are old political rivals, particularly since Holden staged a surprisingly strong performance against Bradley in the 1989 mayoral primary, almost forcing the mayor into a runoff.

“Tom Bradley is a respected person,” Holden said. “But this is not a contest of endorsements. I have a whole host of people who have endorsed me. This is a contest in which we’ll be judged on who’ll do the best job for the district. I think my experience will carry a lot of weight as will my contacts with the White House, the governor’s office and the Board of Supervisors.”

Holden has been endorsed by Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Julian Dixon (D-Los Angeles), Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California).