Hertzberg Nabs Endorsement of Riordan

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Bob Hertzberg’s mayoral campaign picked up a key endorsement Thursday when former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan backed the former Assembly speaker.


Riordan, who endorsed Villaraigosa in the 2001 mayoral race he lost to James Hahn, called Hertzberg “tough enough to turn L.A. around” in a press release issued by the Hertzberg campaign. Riordan was set to announce his endorsement on KFI-AM’s (980) “John & Ken Show” Thursday evening.


Riordan is now the state’s Secretary of Education and still commands respect in Los Angeles political circles. His endorsement is the most prominent so far in the Los Angeles mayoral race, though Mayor Hahn has wrapped up key labor endorsements also at the expense of Villaraigosa.


Hertzberg said in a prepared statement that he was proud to have Riordan’s endorsement, though it was unclear just how active the former mayor would be in the campaign.


“Mayor Riordan turned L.A. around,” said Hertzberg. “After four years of failed leadership under Jim Hahn, I am proud to have Mayor Riordan’s support in my campaign to make L.A. work again.”


As mayor, Riordan helped reform the Los Angeles Unified School District, helping to elect five allies to the Board of Education while Hertzberg has pledged to break up the district to make it more accountable to parents, teachers and local administrators.


Riordan also was noted for business-friendly leadership, creating business teams to streamline permitting, identify funding sources and provide sighting assistance. Hertzberg has pledged to bring back the teams.


The endorsement was not entirely unexpected since Riordan’s wife, Nancy Daly Riordan, is co-chair of Hertzberg’s campaign. However, he could have stayed out of the race.

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