Rep. Janice Hahn to Run for County Supervisor (Updated)
Updated 10:16 a.m. | Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., will officially run for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, she announced Wednesday, leaving vacant her Los Angeles-based House district for the second time since 2010.
“My father, beloved County Supervisor Kenny Hahn, always stressed to me the importance of being a champion for the people. He instilled in me the values of courage, integrity, and public service — and most importantly the simple principle of always putting constituents and local neighborhoods first. With that philosophy in mind, I have decided not to run for re-election to Congress and instead enter the race for Los Angeles County Supervisor District 4,” Hahn said in a statement.
Hahn, 62, is the second California House Democrat in two cycles to vacate a congressional seat to run for a supervisor position — an arguably more powerful role than being in the minority in Congress. In 2014, former Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod left Congress to run for a San Bernadino County Board of Supervisors seat, but ultimately lost that race.
State Sen. Isadore Hall said he will run for Hahn’s seat . He’s already secured endorsements from Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., as well as Compton Mayor Aja Brown.
A number of other Democrats could run for this safe Democratic seat. President Barack Obama carried it by a 71-point margin in 2012, making it one of the most heavily Democratic districts in the country.
Other potential candidates include Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, South Gate City Councilmember Maria Davila and South Gate City Clerk Carmen Avalos.
In California, all candidates run on the same ballot in the primary. The two highest vote recipients, regardless of party, advance to the general election. In such a heavily Democratic district, this race could feature two Democrats competing through Election Day 2016.
Hahn’s father, Kenneth Hahn, held the supervisor seat for 40 years, making her a favorite in the race.
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