Santa Monica’s traditional power block has coalesced around a slate of candidates for the upcoming election. Santa Monicans for Renters Rights (SMRR), one of the city’s most influential political organizations, endorsed Dan Hall, Natalya Zernitskaya, Barry Snell and Ellis Raskin at their annual convention on Saturday.
SMRR endorsed the same slate as the Community for Excellent Public Schools, the Executive Board of the Democratic Club and Santa Monica Forward signaling that the city’s established power brokers are all backing the same group.
SMRR formed in 1979 to advocate for rent control in Santa Monica and continues to influence local politics significantly. It organizes around community issues and endorses candidates in elections, leveraging its reputation as a champion of tenants' rights in a city where most residents rent their homes. SMRR held its endorsement convention over the weekend where its general membership voted on endorsements and successful candidates had to acquire the backing of at least 50% of the 200 people in attendance.
Historically, SMRR endorsements have proven to be a powerful indicator of election success. However, there have been outliers in recent years. In the last election, SMRR endorsed Jesse Zwick, Caroline Torosis and Raskin. However, Raskin failed to win a seat that year with Lana Negrete taking the third spot in the election. In 2020, SMRR backed Gleam Davis, Ana Jara and Ted Winterer. Only Davis won that year with Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra taking office.
Excluded from the endorsement was Rent Control Board Chair Erica Lesley. While several groups have endorsed already, no one is actually a candidate for office yet.
Candidates can declare an intent to run for office at any time, but there is a formal process that includes gathering 100 signatures and paying fees. That process will begin in July but candidates often choose to announce a campaign far in advance as means of securing funding and support.
Of the four incumbents (Gleam Davis, Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra), Davis has said she does not intend to run again this year. Brock, de la Torre and Parra have said they are undecided.
matt@smdp.com
