19 File to Run for Dixon’s House Seat

By the county’s deadline Monday, 19 candidates had filed to run in the April 10 special election to fill the 32nd District seat of the late Rep. Julian C. Dixon.

They include three veteran politicians from the heavily Democratic district: former state Sen. Diane Watson, state Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City) and Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden.

The other candidates represent a variety of occupations, including financial planner, auditor, tour operator and owner of a chain of carwashes.

The other Democratic candidates are Kirsten Wonder Albrecht, Jules Bagneris, Frank Evans III, Tad Daley, Wanda James, Philip Lowe, Diane Reifschneider, Blair Hamilton Taylor and Leo James Terrell.

The Republican candidates are Michael Cyrus, Noel Irwin Hentschel and Mike Schaefer.

Green Party candidate Donna J. Warren and Reform Party candidate Ezola Foster also filed. Two write-in candidates are Wendell Banks and Linda Schexnayder.

Grace Chavez, a spokeswoman for the county registrar-recorder, said write-in candidates have until March 27 to qualify.

All candidates will appear on the same ballot, regardless of party affiliation. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, a runoff for the seat will be held June 5 among the top vote-getters from each party.

The district stretches from Mar Vista to the Coliseum and Baldwin Hills to the Wilshire corridor.