Los Angeles Unified School District board member Monica Ratliff has endorsed Karo Torossian for the vacant council seat representing a northeast San Fernando Valley district, urging her supporters to cast their votes for him. Torossian is in the runoff against leading candidate Monica Rodriguez, after edging out Ratliff for second place.
No candidate in the field of 20 obtained enough votes to win outright, so the top two vote-getters will need to face off in another election in May before a winner can be declared.
“I fully support Karo and hope that my supporters and those who are undecided will vote for him in May,” Ratliff said in an email announcing her endorsement.
In the March election, Ratliff obtained 3,104 or 14 percent of the votes, which was 500 votes shy of beating Torossian to make the runoff. Torossian trailed Rodriguez, who earned 6,091 or 27.82 percent of the votes.
Rodriguez’s representatives did not immediately provide a response.
Ratliff said Torossian was among the candidates who “impressed” her during the campaign “with their … willingness to go the extra mile for constituents, their respect for many of the other first-time candidates, and their understanding of the issues that are important to CD7 constituents.”
“It is extremely important to me that we, the voters, support candidates who are willing to put the interests of the voter and constituent above special interests and the establishment,” Ratliff continued. “Karo is not smooth. He’s not slick or polished. Karo is smart, authentic, thoughtful and extremely knowledgeable about the issues facing CD7 — particularly when it comes to land use and planning.”
Torossian responded to the endorsement by praising Ratliff as “a highly respected community leader and a dedicated public servant who has done so much to improve the lives of children and the families throughout the Northeast San Fernando Valley.”
“I’m honored to have her endorsement and ecstatic to work with her as part of the broad and growing coalition of neighborhood leaders who are supporting my City Council campaign,” he said.
District 7 includes Pacoima, Sunland-Tujunga, Sylmar, Lake View Terrace, North Hills, Mission Hills and Shadow Hills.
Rodriguez has the endorsement of Mayor Eric Garcetti, several members of the L.A. City Council, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, and the police officers and firefighter unions.
Torossian is also endorsed by Councilman Paul Krekorian, state Sen. Anthony Portantino, Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, the North Valley Democratic Club, the Valley Grassroots for Democracy and the Armenian National Committee of America, Western Regions.
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