Latino bidding for history in L.A. mayor's race

[Judi Lynn]

Latino bidding for history in L.A. mayor's race
Mon May 16, 2005 6:34 PM ET

By Jill Serjeant
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Antonio Villaraigosa is favored on Tuesday to become the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles since the 19th century in what could be a landmark election in one of America's most ethnically diverse cities.

Villaraigosa, a charismatic Mexican immigrant's son, faces incumbent mayor and political veteran James Hahn in a race that has been characterized as style over substance -- and by some as the political future versus the past in the country's second most populous city.

Both Villaraigosa, 52, and Hahn, 54 are Democrats and have few policy differences. Both men ran for mayor in 2001 with Hahn emerging a narrow winner after a divisive campaign.

Both also have history on their minds. Hahn risks becoming the first incumbent L.A. mayor to be voted out of office since 1973.
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http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2005-05-16T223457Z_01_N16459228_RTRIDST_0_USREPORT-POLITICS-LOSANGELES-DC.XML

[autorank]

1. This is a great day for California if/when Villaraigosa wins!

Hot damn, my native state is coming through!

[Sequoia]

2. Rah, rah for Mayor Villaraigosa

I sure hope he wins. I was a bit miffed when Hahn won, thinking he was a bit corrupt. I love LA, I miss LA. El Lay, El Lay, El Lay, the best city in the USA, county anyway.

[alarcojon]

3. Que viva Villaraigosa! eom