LA Mayor Garcetti Drops Out Of CA Governor's Race

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Facing long-shot chances and a fundraising disadvantage across California, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Sunday he will not run for governor in California.

"I have decided not to run for governor of California," he tweeted at about 2:30 p.m. "I am passionate about my city and my family; both are here in Los Angeles."

Garcetti, 46, has been mayor of Los Angeles since July 1, 2013 and is one of the youngest big-city mayors in the nation. But he cannot run for a third term under L.A. term limits.

Some political observers said the democrat may be gearing up for a presidential bid in 2020, noting he has made trips to Wisconsin and other key primary states.

Garcetti beat Wendy Gruel, a city council rival, with a 54 percent vote in the 2013 election. He coasted to re-election with 82 percent of the vote earlier this year, against a gaggle of 10 mostly-unknown also-rans.

The current lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom, was favored by 26 percent of the voters in California's gubernatorial race in a recent UC Berkeley poll. Some observers have long said that Newsom has been campaigning to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown since Newsom was sworn in to the lower job six years ago.

Garcetti had 10 percent support in that UC Berkeley poll, taken about three weeks ago.

Newsom had more than $15.7 million in his campaign chest as of mid- summer, three times the amount raised of a mid-summer by Garcetti. Other candidates, including democratic state Comptroller John Chiang and republicans John Cox and Travis Allen, also were running far behind Newsom, both in the polls and in the fundraising reports.

In the next primary race, the top two finishers will advance to the general election, regardless of party, unless one wins the race outright with a 50 percent plus one vote.

Newsom is a former San Francisco mayor. His victory would mark the third consecutive gubernatorial term to be held by a Bay Area resident, as Brown is a former Oakland mayor.

The last governor from Southern California was Arnold Schwarzenegger of Pacific Palisades, who left office in 2011.

In his tweet Sunday, Garcetti said "we have a lot of work left to do to build a stronger city, state. and nation. And I know I can best build on our progress here in L.A."

Garcetti's notable accomplishments include bringing the 2028 Summer Olympic games to the Southland.
"I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and continue the work we have started together," he continued. "Oh, yeah, and go Dodgers!"

--City News Service/Photo courtesy of Mayor's Office