Unions have spent more than $124,000 in support of City Council candidate Jose Huizar in the last month, with some of the money used for paid precinct walkers to knock on doors in the 14th District, according to campaign filings.
Unite Here, the national union for hotel and restaurant employees, has spent $64,470 in an effort to get Huizar elected in Tuesday's election; the California State Council of Service Employees -- an arm of the massive Service Employees International Union -- has spent $56,979. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has spent $2,800.
Huizar, a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District board, has been endorsed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and 10 of 13 members of the City Council. The hotel and restaurant workers union, in particular, has long-standing ties to the mayor.
In the days before he took office, Villaraigosa helped avert a hotel workers strike in Los Angeles and helped negotiate a new contract for the union.
"In terms of why we're interested, I think if you look at this summer when the mayor-elect helped us resolve our contract dispute," said Amanda Cooper, a spokeswoman for the hotel workers union. "We need to support candidates who will look out for working people."
Huizar has "done a very good job on the school board finding the balance between his constituents, the union and the mission of the district," said Annelle Grajeda, general manager of SEIU Local 660.
Huizar has opened a significant fundraising lead in the race for Villaraigosa's old council seat on the Eastside of Los Angeles, having received $352,967 in direct donations, plus $100,000 in matching funds from the city.
The 14th District includes Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Mount Washington, Highland Park and Eagle Rock. Villaraigosa represented the district from 2003 until July 1, when he became mayor.
Although Huizar has insisted that he would vote his conscience, if elected with the mayor's support he would probably be a friendly vote on the council for Villaraigosa, who will need help enacting his legislative agenda.
Six council members endorsed incumbent James K. Hahn in the election.
Of the 10 candidates seeking the District 14 seat, the next highest fundraiser is former Councilman Nick Pacheco, who in 2003 lost the seat to Villaraigosa, his longtime political adversary. Pacheco has raised $156,907, plus $57,938 in city matching funds.
