All signs point to Villaraigosa Senate run, Nuñez says

[brooklynite]

Source: Los Angeles Times

One of Antonio Villaraigosa’s closest friends and advisors said Thursday that all signs were pointing toward the former Los Angeles mayor declaring his candidacy for U.S. Senate within the next two weeks.

Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, who speaks often with the former mayor, said Villaraigosa’s enthusiasm for the Senate race has grown steadily in the four weeks since Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer announced she would not seek reelection.

Villaraigosa, a Democrat, is “very, very close” to settling on a team to run the campaign, Nuñez said in an interview.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-villaraigosa-senate-nunez-20150205-story.html

[elleng]

1. 'State Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, also a Democrat, is the only major candidate in the contest so far.

For more than three weeks, Harris has been raising money for the June 2016 primary – an arduous task, given California’s high campaign costs and the $2,700 federal limit on donations from individuals. Any top-tier candidate needs to raise several hundred thousand dollars a week, experts say.

Harris also has been quick to line up supporters, including the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland and Long Beach, more than a half dozen members of the U.S. House and Senate and Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson, a former Villaraigosa ally.

On Thursday, former state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento joined the Harris backers.


Villaraigosa, a former state Assembly speaker, will relish the role of underdog if he gets in the race, said Jimmy Blackman, who was a top Villaraigosa aide in the Legislature and the mayor’s office.'

[Brother Buzz]

7. Villaraigosa will have no problems raising money once the 'Big Dog' puts out the word

Villaraigosa and the Clintons are tight. Could get sticky in the endorsement department with Hillary Clinton running.

[Divernan]

11. Clintons tight w/ "smarmy/unctuous" politician?

Color me not surprised. Quoting from post 10: "careerist, without a single hint of a core belief-except the belief that he's destined to be great"

Sounds like "Big Dog, Hillary & Antonio Villaraigosa were destined to be BFFs.

[cosmicone]

14. The extreme left never misses a chance to take a dig at the Clintons no matter what the OP is n/t

[msongs]

2. smarmy and unctuous. ugh nt

[catchnrelease]

3. That's an understatement!!

As retired City of Los Angeles employee I can't tell you how this guy disgusts me. He is totally useless....unless you are looking for someone to have their mug in front of a camera! I heard the greatest comment about him the other day--that he would show up at the opening of an envelope. Couldn't be truer.

His political aspirations need to be nipped in the bud asap. I know--tell us how you really feel. But he should never be a choice on a Democratic ticket.

No, just NO!

[allinthegame]

4. UGH

Dreadful mayor. Cannot even imagine him as our Senator. Ms. Harris will kill his aspirations shortly.

[MADem]

5. This article is a good counterpoint to the LA TIMES story...

http://www.laweekly.com/news/poll-shows-hard-road-for-antonio-villaraigosa-in-senate-race-5368305

A new poll shows Antonio Villaraigosa would start a Senate race against Kamala Harris at a significant disadvantage. The poll shows Villaraigosa trailing Harris, 28-18 percent, in a hypothetical four-way matchup.

The poll was commissioned by the Latino Legislative Caucus, which has been urging a Latino candidate to enter the race. In its press release, the caucus played up the finding that a strong Latino candidate would energize Latino voters.

However, the poll results, contained in a three-page memo, paint a discouraging picture for Villaraigosa. Here's the hypothetical horse race:

Ashley Swearengin (R) 31
Kamala Harris (D) 28
Antonio Villaraigosa (D) 18
Adam Schiff (D) 4

Undecided 19

Gavin-Hart-Yang Research Group, 600 likely voters, conducted Jan 27-29, margin of error: 4%

...The Latino Caucus is friendly towards Villaraigosa, which adds credibility to the result. It's almost like a candidate releasing an internal poll that shows him behind — if even he is saying it, then it's probably true.

Looks like an uphill climb on a good day...

[radhika]

6. Speaking as an Angeleno - UGH! n/t

[SunSeeker]

8. Dude makes my skin crawl.

Well, Kamala should wipe the floor with him.

[SoapBox]

9. Absolutely worthless!

Yuck.

Never...no way. Don't even think of voting for this skeeze bag. We will NOT vote for him.

[KJG52]

10. Villaraigosa is without a doubt, the worst possible candidate the Democratic Party could run....

If the Democrats want to install a Republican in the Senate from the great state of California, Villaraigosa is the candidate to choose: corrupt, careerist, without a single hint of a core belief-except the belief that he's destined to be great, although he hasn't shown a hint of ability to do anything but self promote and ingratiate himself to Democratic Party power brokers and professional politicians and fund raisers. There isn't a device known to science that could create a field of inspirational energy about this man in even the most partisan Democratic voters in Los Angeles. It would be generous to call Antonio Villaraigosa a toady and an empty suit, he was a disgrace as LA's mayor and a definite drag on the Democratic Party in California. Please spare the California electorate the spectacle of another time-serving careerist splitting the ticket and hurting the chances of other more qualified Democrats.

[Ford_Prefect]

12. He seems the kind of pol likely to be indicted shortly after taking office...

[ripcord]

13. He is just an empty suit

Harris is such a good choice and would make a great senator but strange things can happen in California elections.

[Throd]

15. Pendejo!

[yurbud]

16. he is a corrupt piece of shit, who carries water for public ed privatizers