May 05 2008
Candidates Scramble for Open County Supervisor’s Seat
GUEST: Max Taves, freelance writer for the LA Weekly, Erin Aubrey Kaplan, contributing editor for the LA Times Op-ed Pages
With LA County Supervisor Yvonne Burke retiring, a race is on this June to fill her seat representing the Second district including the South LA cities of Inglewood and Compton. Front runners State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas and former LAPD chief Bernard Parks have debated each other in local forums, including one organized this past weekend by the Community Coalition and the South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils. Despite Parks’ name recognition locally, a recent poll shows Ridley-Thomas leading Parks by 22% [see clarification below]. Additionally, current LAPD chief Bill Bratton has endorsed Ridley-Thomas. The two candidates are furiously wooing the Black community, particularly by attempting to land unofficial endorsements from local black pastors. But, given the large Latino population in the district, the Latino vote could be the decisive factor in the election.
Read Max Taves’ article in the LA Weekly here: http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/
will-latinos-be-the-swing-vote-in-the-tussle-between-
parks-and-ridley-thomas/18765/
John Shallman, Bernard Parks’ Chief Strategist sent us the following note regarding the poll numbers cited above:
The poll does NOT say Ridley-Thomas leads by 22%. What it does say, is Parks is ahead by 5% in the initial ask. (our polls show 12% Parks lead). After their “push” they move ahead by 22%. They don’t, of course, tell you what they had to say negatively about Parks in order to move voters so dramatically.
This poll is therefore bogus and not worth the paper it’s printed on.
It was put out over one month ago by labor who is spending $4million for Ridley-Thomas–of course their position and polls are slanted.There was no mention that this was a private poll done by MRT supporters. There was no mention that this poll actually shows Parks AHEAD of MRT today.
You guys need to correct and clarify this enormous misstatement of the facts.
It’s not fair or accurate.
Read the official poll results here: http://launionaflcio.org/pdf/080403-LA-Supe2-Memo
-v6.pdf?PHPSESSID=fb9aa2bd7ce9eb71159fce825b84d170
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