37th District Candidates Speak Out
News Article
By Samantha Gonzaga
Eight congressional hopefuls walked into a bar ...
Instead of getting a drink, they fielded questions on the American occupation in Iraq, decriminalizing medical marijuana and the impeachment of President George W. Bush, from the crowd at the "Beer & Politics" forum at Gallagher's Pub & Grill Tuesday night.
The candidates are on the ballot in a special election June 26 to fill the remainder of the two-year term of Juanita Millender-McDonald. She died April 22 of colon cancer.
A forum for the 17 candidates for the 37th Congressional District on Tuesday became the biggest "Beer & Politics" session since the monthly event's inception in January, said Andrew Anson, president of the Long Beach Junior Chamber, which hosts the event.
Candidates attending were Bill Grisolia, vice-chairman of policy and legislation for the Los Angeles Housing Advisory Committee of the National Housing Commission of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens); lone Republican attendee 16-year Long Beach Police veteran John Kanaley; political analyst Peter Mathews; Valerie McDonald, daughter of the late Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald and executive director of the African American Women Health and Education Foundation; Sen. Jenny Oropeza; Long Beach resident George Parmer Jr.; 55th District Assemblywoman Laura Richardson; and Signal Hill Councilman Edward Wilson.
The heavily Democratic 37th District is comprised of almost the whole of Long Beach, and includes Compton, Signal Hill, Carson.
If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, an Aug. 21 election between the top vote-getters from each political party will decide the winner.
Since Millender-McDonald's death, the 37th District office has been under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
The mood Tuesday evening at Gallagher's was, at first, casual. Oropeza gave a seven-minute speech while standing barefoot on her chair.
McDonald exchanged hugs with the senator after concluding hers, while Parmer - dressed in jeans and a bright yellow Hawaiian shirt - Mathews and Wilson initially arrived as spectators.
Candidates introduced themselves and causes before taking answers from the crowd.
Major topics focused on whether to withdraw troops from combat in the Middle East; dealing with pollution arising from activity at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach while stoking trade; improving healthcare access; strengthening K-12 education; and public safety.
"I feel very prepared to be a Congress member and to represent this wonderful community," said Oropeza, who has served in public office for 19 years.
Richardson enumerated her accomplishments while representing Long Beach's 6th District.
She said during her time, her former district saw $50 million in development, a drop in crime - going from being No. 1 in "rape, slaughter and assault" when she took office to No. 4 - and the arrival of the area's first bank.
At the moment, she said, she is pushing several bills on the legislative floor, among them indoor heating regulations, and one that would put educators on the state panel that decides content standards for public schools.
"We need a representative with a balanced background," Richardson said, citing her own experiences in the private and public sector and work on local and state issues.
Others called for a change.
"A lot of you do not know me, but I plan to make my presence known to you," McDonald said, whose platform issues include increasing job opportunities and healthcare for the underprivileged.
Grisolia pitched himself a "candidate of unity."
"This election is about unity," he said.
Grisolia's issues include investing in renewable energy for goods movement at the ports; incentive programs for medium- and small businesses to stimulate more job opportunities; universal health coverage and education.
Source