Long Beach Press-Telegram: Lynwood candidate announces run for state Senate seat, says ‘elected positions are not passed down like royal titles’
The race to represent southeast L.A. County in the state Senate is heating up, as another candidate announced a bid for the District 33 seat on Friday, Dec. 21.
Leticia Vasquez-Wilson, a Democrat on the Central Basin Municipal Water District board and former Lynwood mayor, said she hopes to succeed current state Sen. Ricardo Lara after he vacates the seat in January to become state insurance commissioner.
“I am running for state Senate because I believe that elected positions are not passed down like royal titles or played like a game of musical chairs between a select few,” Vasquez-Wilson said in a statement, likely alluding to the fact that Lara has already endorsed Long Beach City Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez as his successor.
“I’m running because we need to make California work for everyone, not just the elites, career politicians, special interests, and insiders,” Vasquez-Wilson said.
The special election for Lara’s seat will not be called until he resigns in January to take on his new post.
Vasquez-Wilson laid out a number of policy priorities, should she win the race: New and better jobs, with higher pay. Human and civil rights for immigrants, minorities, women, the LGBTQ community. Clean air and Water. Criminal justice reform and universal healthcare. And affordable housing.
“I’m going to focus on the biggest issues facing the people of the 33rd,” she said.