Style Rather Than Issues Divides Rivals for Westside Council Seat
After a nine-week crash course on the exhausting, sometimes nasty world of local politics, the two candidates running for the coveted Westside seat on the Los Angeles City Council are pressing to reach as many voters as possible before Tuesday's election.
Neighborhood activist Flora Gil Krisiloff of Brentwood and former cable television executive Bill Rosendahl of Mar Vista have focused the final stretch of their campaigns on their differing political styles and on two key issues -- fixing the area's wretched traffic and preventing out-of-control development.
Throughout the campaign, Krisiloff, has portrayed herself as a studious, tireless neighborhood activist who sleeps only a few hours each night. Rosendahl says he is a man of the people who will fight as hard for the poor as for the rich.
The political newcomers are running for the only open council seat, which is being vacated by Cindy Miscikowski because of term limits. They have spent about $1.3 million combined on the contest through the end of April.
Rick Taylor, Krisiloff's campaign consultant, said the race was notable because it would be the first time that the district would elect either an Asian American woman or an openly gay man.
"In either case, it will make history in the city of Los Angeles," Taylor said.
Rosendahl has accused Krisiloff of trying to make his homosexuality a campaign issue, and laughed off Taylor's comments.
"The narrowness of his definition of me is obviously where I take offense. I'm a consensus-builder, a problem-solver and a visionary," Rosendahl said. "When I'm elected you won't be pressing against the glass, you'll be in the room."
In the March primary, Rosendahl received 44.6% of the vote to 41.7% for Krisiloff and 13.7% for a third candidate, Angela Reddock. Because no one reached the 50% threshold, Rosendahl and Krisiloff must face off in a runoff election.
The district includes Playa del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista, Brentwood, West Los Angeles and Pacific Palisades.
The two candidates have spent the last year largely agreeing on the biggest issues facing the district. They both have plans to ease traffic, they both take a cautious stance toward development, and they both can't tolerate expansion of Los Angeles International Airport.
