CD-11 Candidate Erin Darling rolls out series of new endorsements as race heats up with just under 100 days before the November general election!
By Nick Antonicello
Life-long Venetian Erin Darling, a civil-rights attorney and tenant advocate who finished first in the June 7th Primary to replace “lame duck” Councilmember Mike Bonin has picked up a series of new endorsements including that of newly elected California Assemblymember Tina McKinnor who replaced Autumn Burke as Venice’s representative in Sacramento.
McKinnor, a long-time Democratic political activist, defeated Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles in a special election runoff to assume the remainder of Burke’s unexpired term.
Burke resigned from the California legislature last January to assume a public affairs position in the private sector. While McKinnor defeated Pullen-Miles for the unexpired term, she trailed him in the June 7th Primary and the two of them will square-off once again for the third time in the November runoff with McKinnor having the advantage of now being the incumbent.
Pullen-Miles served as district director for Burke until her resignation.
Darling, who has been quietly consolidating support from numerous Democratic office-holders now has the support of LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, California Senator Ben Allen and now McKinnor, the newly minted state legislator.
In addition to these endorsements, Darling has picked up the following support:
UNITE HERE! – Local 11
The Stonewall Democrats
Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
With less than 100 days before the November general election, Darling has staked out his place in the race as calling for a “safe, affordable and progressive Westside”.
“The momentum is on our side. We’re offering tangible solutions regarding housing and homelessness. People are on the brink,” offered Darling in a ZOOM forum featuring other progressive candidates around Los Angeles that was sponsored by the Santa Monica Democratic Club.
Darling also promised to be “the candidate of tenants” and renter’s rights, as Park has been endorsed by the powerful apartment lobby that contributed large sums of independent expenditure assistance in the June Primary to her race.
Here in Venice, there are 17,585 housing units and the median year of construction was 1968. Of the 15,302 occupied units, 35.24% are by the owner while 64.76% have renters in them, making single tenants the largest demographic in Dogtown according to www.point2homes.com.
Venice also has over 5,000 residents who self-identify as entrepreneurs.
Darling and others on the call described his challenger Traci Park, also a Venice resident and fellow attorney as the most conservative and right-wing of those who qualified for the runoff.
In a swipe at the law & order populist, Darling stressed the contrast and mentioned “I was never a Republican,” as was Park.
Voter records confirmed that Park was a registered Republican and eventually switched parties. Park also registered to vote in Mono Lakes, California in January of 2021 and then re-registered back in Venice in late April of last year.
Park announced her candidacy for LA Council in July of last year.
Nick Antonicello is a longtime Venetian who is covering the race for LA City Council here in CD-11 and how it impacts the neighborhood of Venice. Antonicello has filed more stories on the race than any other media outlet. To contact him on your take on the campaign, e-mail him at nantoni@mindspring.com.
