L.A. Votes: Women voters wooed; candidates pressed on specifics

As Los Angeles faces the possibility of having no women holding elected office at City Hall come July, some of California’s most well-known female politicians joined forces to promote Wendy Greuel’s mayoral bid.

Greuel was endorsed by U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who appeared Thursday alongside other politicians who had already endorsed Greuel, including Sen. Barbara Boxer, and Reps. Janice Hahn and Judy Chu. In the evening, Boxer headlined a fundraiser for Greuel that was also hosted by EMILY’S List, an organization devoted to promoting pro-choice, Democratic women.

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Greuel’s rival, City Councilman Eric Garcetti, touted his own efforts on behalf of women and also said that the race would not be decided by politicians from Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, a dig at the numerous endorsements Greuel has received from federal and state lawmakers. Meanwhile, he was endorsed by council colleague Tom LaBonge, also known as “Mr. L.A.,” one of eight council members to back Garcetti’s bid.

The candidates continue to be pressed to offer more details about what they would do to deal with the city’s budget problems. Greuel said she would look at trimming current employees’ retirement benefits. Garcetti dismissed a plan Greuel proposed earlier in the week to slash council and mayoral budgets by 25% as inconsequential, but flubbed an attempt to question spending at Greuel’s office.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.’s race for mayor

And The Times examined Garcetti’s service as a member of the Naval Reserve. Given some of the positions that he has staked out, his affiliation with the Navy may be surprising, but the councilman has never missed his requirements for service.

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