Looking Like Mayoral Hopeful, Villaraigosa Barnstorms Watts

State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa spent Wednesday touring Watts and meeting with community leaders in what seemed as much a mayoral campaign tour as a visit by an elected lawmaker discussing legislative policy.

Villaraigosa, who is weighing a bid to run for mayor of Los Angeles, ducked questions about the purpose of his trip, saying only: “I’m speaker and I’m visiting constituents.”

But the day clearly had the markings of an election campaign, as the Democratic speaker posed for photos with a broad smile, tousled the hair of children and queried community leaders about local issues.

The Watts visit kicks off an intensive two weeks of appearances that Villaraigosa has scheduled in the Los Angeles area while the Legislature is in summer recess. His upcoming engagements include a meeting with Asian American journalists, visits to the San Fernando Valley and the Westside, a guest host appearance on a radio talk show and participating in community cleanups throughout the city. Villaraigosa will host a constituents’ meeting in his 45th Assembly District, which includes Boyle Heights, Mount Washington, Silver Lake and Hollywood.

The swing through Los Angeles is widely viewed by political analysts as an attempt to increase Villaraigosa’s public recognition in a race that is expected to include local candidates better known to Angelenos.

“He’s clearly exploring running for mayor and as part of that, I think he’s trying to acquaint himself with communities he’s not familiar with,” said Bill Carrick, a Democratic political consultant working on City Atty. James K. Hahn’s mayoral campaign. “The speaker is not very well-known to people in L.A. He’s a Sacramento creature.”

Along with Hahn, City Councilman Joel Wachs and mayoral advisor Steve Soboroff have filed papers declaring their intention to run. Other names being floated as possible candidates for the April 2001 election include Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles).

On Wednesday, Villaraigosa’s jampacked schedule included private meetings with the Rev. William Epps of the Second Baptist Church and City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas. The speaker toured the Watts Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that serves low-income patients, and visited Parents of Watts, a grass-roots community group. Later, he talked with students and seniors at the Community Coalition, a South-Central Los Angeles organization.

Along the way, one of the most powerful elected leaders in the state spent much of the time explaining who he is.

“What’s his name?” asked an elderly woman, as Villaraigosa swept into her waiting room at the Watts Health Foundation along with an entourage of foundation officials, aides and television cameras.

He patiently introduced himself as the Assembly speaker. “Oh, that’s great, honey,” she replied.

In another room, he stopped to chat with a patient who appeared bewildered by attention from the politician. “I didn’t know who he was,” the man murmured after the speaker left, “but I guess I won’t forget him now.”

Although this was Villaraigosa’s first extensive visit to Watts, he attempted to demonstrate that he understood community issues, talking repeatedly about the need for affordable health care, jobs and recreation for youth.

“This is why I got involved in public service. Often people who live in these communities don’t have enough advocates,” he said.

As he toured the medical facility, he spoke about the bills he has helped pass to provide health care for children, legalize public breast-feeding and raise the minimum wage.

And throughout the day, Villaraigosa recalled his upbringing in a poor East Los Angeles community, telling people: “I grew up in a neighborhood much like this one.”

That message was warmly received both by community leaders familiar with him and residents who were hearing his name for the first time. Dr. Clyde Oden, head of the health foundation, introduced him throughout the facility as “a very special friend, someone who stands up for this community and people in need.”

At a round-table discussion, staff members gave Villaraigosa two standing ovations after he promised to fight to make more people eligible for Healthy Families, a program that provides health coverage for uninsured children.

Sweet Alice Harris, founder of Parents of Watts, said Villaraigosa reminds her a bit of Willie Brown, who went from being the powerful Assembly speaker to the mayor of San Francisco. “He shows us that he cares and he relates to us,” she said.

Later, Villaraigosa spoke to about 20 teenagers in a summer youth program run by Harris’ organization. He urged them to follow their dreams, and then return to serve their community.

“I never heard of him before, but I like that he came to inspire us,” said Shante Mangram, 15. “I think he’d make a good mayor, because it seems like he cares about the community.”