SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KNX) — The Los Angeles County Redistricting Commission approved a finalized version of the supervisorial district map for the next decade on Wednesday. But not all are pleased.
In a Thursday email obtained by The Santa Monica Daily Press, Third District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl characterized the new map as an “abrupt abandonment of rational process.” She alleged the version was politicized to split the difference between two ideologically polarized districts in an effort to create more moderate zones.
“Politics is just what is in play here,” she wrote. Kuehl theorized a “man who’s been salivating to run for the office found himself in need of an electorate more closely tailored to his politics” was standing in the wings to swoop in and leverage the map’s new political landscape to his advantage.
A spokesperson for Kuehl’s office told the Daily Press she was not referring to State Senator Henry Stern (D.-Los Angeles), a Calabasas resident who formally announced his candidacy on Thursday, about an hour and a half after Kuehl’s email was sent.
“I know there’s discontent,” Stern remarked in a Thursday Zoom call announcing his supervisorial candidacy. “The current supervisor doesn’t think it’s fair that some communities are out, others are in, like more conservative parts of the north Valley, or east Valley are represented here.”
“We don’t need to suffer from that,” he added. “We don’t need to sacrifice our social justice agenda or our pragmatic kind of progressivism.”
Other candidates in the race to unseat Kuehl include former Santa Monica mayor and current State Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D.-Santa Monica), West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath, and L.A. County Controller Ron Galperin.
An election for the Third District supervisorial seat will be held on Nov. 8, 2022.
