Prominent Black Leaders Endorse Riordan

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, adding a big burst of horsepower to what he hopes will be his reelection juggernaut this spring, on Wednesday announced endorsements from some of the city’s most prominent African Americans--from Magic Johnson to influential pastor Cecil “Chip” Murray.

The endorsements from black leaders are part of the Riordan campaign’s efforts to scare off any serious challengers and nail down an easy reelection victory for an incumbent who wants to avoid a contentious campaign.

Recently, the campaign has been concentrating on lining up support from women, labor and other groups that backed his opponent, then-Councilman Mike Woo, in 1993.

The African American endorsements, however, coming from leaders of the group most often at odds with the wealthy white Republican mayor from Brentwood, could well be the most dramatic--and most controversial--boost to Riordan’s reelection goal.

The list of 30-plus supporters includes a host of area elected officials: Rep. Julian Dixon (D-Los Angeles); county Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and her husband, L.A. Marathon director Bill Burke; state Sen. Teresa P. Hughes (D-Inglewood); Assemblyman Kevin Murray (D-Los Angeles) and Los Angeles Board of Education member Barbara Boudreaux.

Others are John Mack, head of the Los Angeles Urban League; Martha Brown Hicks, president emeritus of the Skid Row Development Corp.; civil rights activist Joe Hicks; Gene Hale of the African American Chamber of Commerce; financier Carlton Jenkins; businessman and school reform leader Virgil Roberts, and union leader Ophelia McFadden.

They join several black religious leaders (though none quite so well known as Murray, whose First African Methodist Episcopal Church in the mid-city area has been front and center in many community issues) and several Riordan appointees. Among them are attorney Gil Ray, named by Riordan to steer creation of a pioneering community development bank to bring jobs to some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, and Commissioners Valerie Shaw of the Board of Public Works and Ken Lombard of the Fire Commission.

The ink was hardly dry on the endorsement list when other black community leaders began downplaying its significance. Several saw the endorsements as largely a recognition that the well-bankrolled Riordan, with no committed, substantial challenger to date, was as good as reelected and that leaders would need to work with him for the next four years.

“I don’t think the mayor should put too much stock in these,” said African American political consultant Felicia Bragg.

“There is no alternative, and from their end, there is nothing to be lost in [endorsing Riordan],” Bragg said. “Obviously he feels some pressure to demonstrate that he represents all the people in this city.”

Bragg alluded to criticisms leveled at Riordan from the black community over the years, including a public upbraiding earlier this year by state Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles). Watson could not be reached for comment Wednesday. In addition, black residents voted overwhelmingly for Woo, and a Times poll taken last summer showed most in the black community do not believe that Riordan is interested in all groups and their concerns.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, one of three blacks on the council, also downplayed the significance of the endorsements.

“There aren’t many surprises here--there is no news here,” Ridley-Thomas said of the endorsements list. “He is unopposed; there is no challenger for people to rally around.”

Of the 10 challengers who filed preliminary candidacy papers for the April 8 municipal primary, all but state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles) are virtual unknowns with no money to mount a campaign against Riordan. Hayden still is weighing his options, an aide reiterated Wednesday--stay in the Senate, run for mayor or run for the 11th District council seat being vacated by Councilman Marvin Braude. Another possible challenger, Democratic Rep. Howard Berman of Panorama City, said he is not interested.

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Councilman Nate Holden, who many in the Riordan camp believe will enter the race, denied through an aide that he is planning to run. Holden commented only briefly on the endorsement list Wednesday but scheduled a news conference for today to discuss it further.

“Mayor Riordan is no friend to the African American community,” Holden said in a statement his office released in response to reporters’ inquiries. “I question his ability or willingness to lead our diverse city, particularly the African American community.”

Bill Wardlaw, Riordan’s longtime friend and political advisor, strongly took issue with those statements.

“Those who say it is because he is going to be mayor for another four years are right about one thing--he is going to be mayor for another four years, and my view is that he would be whether or not people endorse,” Wardlaw said.

“But first and foremost, these endorsements are a tribute to Mayor Riordan and an acknowledgment of the outstanding job he has done for this city. I know he is proud to have their support.”

Wardlaw noted that Riordan picked up the endorsement Wednesday of the 30,000-member United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 770--the largest private-sector union in the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

“We’ll continue to see endorsements from many, many constituencies” that were not on Riordan’s side four years ago, Wardlaw said.