Lieu cleans up on endorsements for Waxman’s Seat

By RLn Staff – February 7, 2014

When Henry Waxman announced his imminent retirement from congress after 40 years of service, an army of challengers rushed to file papers. But I appears Ted Lieu was in front of the line after assembling a long of endorsements in a matter of days with the latest coming from Congresswoman Karen Bass. With a list that totals to more than 30, Bass joins two other congressmembers, Reps. Maxine Waters and Alan Lowenthal.

Bass, in a released statement, noted his support in her elevation to speaker of the California Assembly when she was an assemblywoman.

“[He] was on my leadership team during the deep fiscal crisis in California. We made the tough choices to get the state back on track, and that’s exactly what Ted will do for our country. Ted’s leadership, experience and bipartisan approach to solving some of the state’s largest problems is what we need more of in Washington.”

Lieu also picked up an endorsement from Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi.

He’s a veteran, a champion for the environment and has a long record of fighting for our community,” said Muratsuchi, a former deputy attorney general and school board member.

Lieu’s district comprises more than 80 percent of the voters in CD 33, making his move to replace Waxman well timed. Lieu is a long-time resident of the district, an Air Force veteran and has served time on the Torrance City Council, State Assembly and the California State Senate.

The 33rd Congressional District stretches from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Malibu along the Los Angeles County coast.

Other endorsements include: Muratsuchi joins an impressive list, including: Congressmembers Alan Lowenthaland Maxine Waters; State Controller John Chiang; State Board of Equalization Member Jerome Horton; Los Angeles City Councilmembers Mike Bonin, Paul Koretz and Bill Rosendahl (Ret.); state Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg; Senators Kevin de Leon, Ricardo Lara and Holly Mitchell; Assemblymembers Isadore Hall and Sebastian Ridley-Thomas; El Camino Community College District Trustee Cliff Numark; Hermosa Beach Mayor Michael DiVirgilio; Hermosa Beach Mayor Pro Tem Peter Tucker; Palos Verdes Estates City Councilmember George Bird, Jr.; Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor pro Tem Jim Knight; Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Judy Mitchell; Redondo Beach City Councilmember Bill Brand; Torrance City Councilmembers Kurt Weideman andHope Witkowsky (Ret.); West Basin Municipal Water District Board Member Carol Kwan; Water Replenishment District Board Member Robert Katherman; Torrance School Boardmember Terry Ragins; El Segundo School Boardmember Dr. Bill Watkins; and Palos Verdes Peninsula School District Boardmember Barbara Luck

View the RLn Los Angeles 2014 Election Blog Here.