Democrats Decline to Endorse Alatorre

Despite his credits as a Democratic stalwart, Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre has been shut out of his party’s endorsement as he seeks reelection--the only Democratic council incumbent to miss out on the local chapter’s seal of approval.

The Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee on Tuesday declined to endorse the Eastside lawmaker’s reelection bid, even after Alatorre made a personal pitch for the honor.

“It’s disappointing,” the 51-year-old lawmaker said Wednesday, blaming the committee action on a lingering--but misguided--resentment among party activists over his 1993 endorsement of Republican Richard Riordan’s mayoral campaign.

The 10-year veteran of City Hall is a former state assemblyman, Democratic Party reapportionment guru, Willie Brown confidant and current member of the Democratic National Committee. He will face Alvin Parra, 26, on the ballot this year. Parra is a former field deputy to former Rep. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles).

“I’ve never backed anyone but Democrats in partisan races all my life,” Alatorre said, pointing out that the mayor’s race was nonpartisan.

Under Democratic Party rules, candidates can be endorsed only if they get 60% of the county central committee vote. After Parra, also a Democrat, got 55% of the 150 votes cast Tuesday, balloting to endorse in the 14th District was stopped. On Tuesday, however, four other City Council Democratic incumbents seeking reelection in this spring’s municipal balloting--John Ferraro, Ruth Galanter, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Nate Holden--were endorsed.

Endorsement gives the incumbent access to voter files, lists of party activists and a prime place on mailers sent to party faithful.

“This was a major upset for Alatorre,” said Bob Farran, former central committee chairman and an Eastside political activist who is backing Parra. “He was pulling out all the stops.”

In Tuesday’s debate, Alatorre was criticized for neglecting his constituents but was hit hardest for endorsing Riordan.

Party loyalists, stung by recent setbacks in Washington and Sacramento, angrily remembered Alatorre’s alliance with Riordan on Tuesday. “There’s too much blurring of the parties already--and it’s made worse when you have Democrats like Alatorre endorsing Republicans,” Farran said.

Alatorre denied he put on a full effort Tuesday to win the endorsement.

“If I had really pulled out all the stops, I would’ve gotten it,” he said. The lawmaker also refused to apologize for backing Riordan, defended his record of constituent service.

“Unfortunately, we Democrats spend too much time cannibalizing ourselves; it’s a sad commentary on our party,” Alatorre said.

But Parra was elated that Alatorre was deprived of the endorsement. “The grass-roots activists in the party understand and have seen Mr. Alatorre pay more attention to special interests than to the principles of the party and his constituents.”