PAGE 3: Votes of Confidence

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It feels like the Big Election just ended and things ought to be quieting down. Instead, it’s even harder to avoid politics these days. Statewide, the race for governor is starting to warm up, and the leading candidates – Antonio Villaraigosa, Gavin Newsom, and John Chiang – are tapping L.A.’s wealthiest. Newsom has received a combined $112,000 from Lynda and Stewart Resnick; Villaraigosa has Ray Irani ($29,200) and Edythe and Eli Broad ($112,000 together) in his corner; while Chiang has Ming Hsieh, whose Fulgent Pharma kicked in $27,500, and Eric Smidt, in for $20,000. … Some L.A. boosters are convinced that despite the heated rhetoric coming out of Washington, the region’s effort to land the 2024 Olympics is as strong as ever. The Daily Bruin quoted Casey Wasserman saying, “We believe now more than ever that ultimately we will be judged on the merits of our bid, not on politics, because the (International Olympic Committee) has always acted in the interest of sport above politics. We have no doubt that the same will continue in this process.” Gene Sykes said the local committee has been in touch with the White House about the travel restrictions. … Still said to be in the hunt for a role in the Trump administration is Patrick Soon-Shiong, whose Cancer Moonshot organization quietly changed its name last week to Cancer Breakthroughs. The organization ran afoul of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, which had trademarked “Moon Shots” several years ago. One industry newsletter speculated that Soon-Shiong made the name switch to end a fight and have one less issue stand in the way of his desire to land a spot as a White House adviser, head the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, or become “health czar.” … Another local appointed: Steven Streit has been appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Los Angeles Branch board. He replaces David I. Rainer and joins Peggy Tsiang Cherng, Luis Faura, and Ilyanne Morden Kichaven. He’ll serve a three-year term. … Also stepping up is Maria Elena Durazo, who has been endorsed by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka for re-election as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. … Vogue Australia followed Brad Korzen, Kelly Wearstler, and family to Bali on their vacation, documenting the trip with a photo spread. … Also on the design front, there’s buzz that the blue and gold of the Los Angeles Rams will give way to a retro blue-and-white scheme for next season. Uni Watch, citing a leaked document it says was confirmed as authentic by the team, is reporting the color switch. The Rams will join the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars in making preseason logo changes. … Heading up and out at The Hollywood Reporter is Janice Min, who will leave her post as co-president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group for a post at parent company Eldridge Industries, where she will play a key role in devising media investment strategy. Matt Belloni will take over as THR’s editorial lead and Mike Bruno will head Billboard’s editorial side. Speculation continues that Todd Boehly might be open to spinning off the publishing unit. … Finding a replacement for Bob Iger is proving a little harder. Iger looks like he’ll take another three years before retiring, a sign that grooming someone internally is proving harder since Thomas Staggs departed. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill, however, and among the names that have bubbled up to run the Mouse House are Kevin Tsujihara, Les Moonves, Alan Horn, Richard Plepler, and Sheryl Sandberg. All five have high-profile jobs, and Sandberg, already on the Disney board, has said she won’t take the job. Still, hope springs eternal. … Steven Udvar-Hazy has boosted his stake in Air Lease Corp. He now owns more than 7 million shares, a 6.7 percent stake in the company, which was valued last week at nearly $26 million.

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