CITYWIDE — Santa Monica leaders continue to publicly endorse former State Sen. and Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl in her bid for L.A. County Supervisor.
Mayor Pam O'Connor and former Mayor Judy Abdo announced their support for Kuehl, a Democrat, via a Monday release.
"We need a representative like Sheila who will fight for our progressive values and work with community leaders to accelerate the improvements we need to continue to achieve," said O'Connor.
Added Abdo: "Sheila is a recognized leader who has dedicated a lifelong effort into bettering our neighborhoods."
Kuehl, a longtime Santa Monica resident, aims to take over the Third District seat that has been occupied by Zev Yaroslavsky since 1994. The district comprises Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills, San Fernando, Agoura Hills and West Hollywood, among other cities.
Kuehl filed her Candidate Intention Statement with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk on Jan. 23 of this year. Though the official candidate filing period does not begin until early 2014, that statement allows her to accept campaign contributions.
"I wanted to start running the first minute you possibly could," said Kuehl. "I'm very serious about wanting to serve in this seat."
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk identifies Kuehl as the only Third District candidate who has submitted a statement, but West Hollywood Councilmember John Duran said his letter of intent is on its way.
"After 12 years of service, a lot of the ideas I've brought to West Hollywood have served the city well," said Duran, who committed to running late last week. "Do I have ideas that would help the county? And the answer again [is] yes."
And though she plans to wait until December to file her official statement, former Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich is also campaigning for the Third District seat. "It's great that people are running," she said when asked about the competitiveness of the field. "The more the merrier."
Primary elections will be held in June, with general elections following in November, 2014.
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