The Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday endorsed Robert Garcia in the April special election for City Council.

“He’s a very impressive 31-year-old man,” said Chamber Chief Executive Randy Gordon, adding that Garcia’s professional background and community involvement set him apart from other candidates seeking the 1 st District council seat vacated by Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal.

The board of the chamber’s Political Action Committee, which goes by the acronym LBACC-PAC, made the endorsement after interviewing all candidates save for Pepperdine University Professor Eduardo Lara, who Gordon said did not return requested paperwork in time.

Though not unprecedented, the chamber does not often endorse candidates considered progressive or who have the backing of major public employee unions.

–

Read the full

Los Angeles Beach Press Telegram

story.