In a closely watched primary race, incumbent Eunisses Hernandez has declared victory in her bid for a second term representing Los Angeles City Council District 1. Hernandez, a progressive candidate, garnered 14,186 votes, amounting to 54.35% of the total votes counted as of the latest tally by the Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorder-County Clerk. This puts her ahead of her closest competitor, Maria Lou Calanche, by a significant margin of 9,835 votes. Calanche, a former member of the Los Angeles Police Commission, received 4,351 votes, or 16.67%.
Challengers and Campaign Highlights
Other candidates in the race included Raul Claros, CEO of UNO Partners, who secured 11.20% of the vote, and executive consultant Nelson Grande and former council aide Sylvia Robeldo, both of whom received less than 10% of the votes. If Hernandez maintains her lead, she could avoid a runoff election in November, having secured more than 50% of the vote.
Hernandez expressed gratitude to the residents of District 1 in a social media post, thanking them for their trust and support. She emphasized her vision for a Los Angeles where working people have a voice and where tax dollars are reinvested into local communities to enhance quality of life. During her campaign, Hernandez highlighted her role in co-authoring the city’s ‘Sanctuary City’ ordinance and supporting ‘Know Your Rights’ workshops and legal resource fairs. She also pointed to her efforts in addressing public safety concerns in MacArthur Park, securing over $27 million in funding for improvements.
Endorsements and Campaign Funding
Hernandez received endorsements from the Democratic Socialist of America Los Angeles Chapter and the Working Families Party, among others. Her campaign raised approximately $354,078, significantly more than Calanche’s $192,558 in contributions.
As the final ballots are still being counted, NBC News has not yet confirmed whether Hernandez will face a runoff in November or if she has won the primary outright. However, her current lead suggests strong support from the community for her continued representation.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
