Guerra, Mendoza announce endorsements

DOWNEY - Downey Mayor Mario Guerra - a candidate for the 32nd state senatorial district - announced endorsements from the California Republican Assembly Caucus and the California Republican Senate Caucus."Mario is a proven leader and as mayor of Downey has helped to create jobs and made the city safer for residents," Senate Republican leader Bob Huff said. "I am confident he will bring this same leadership to Sacramento. He has my full support." Added Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway: "I'm proud to endorse Mario Guerra for Senate. He has a proven local track record of creating jobs and leadership. Mario has what it takes to lead California forward. We support him because we know his record of success for his community." "These incredible endorsements are a testament to my commitment to making our cities more business friendly, a step that is key to creating jobs in California; empowering families and teachers in order to improve education for all our children; and keeping our cities safe by being tough on crime," said Guerra. "These are values all of us can support, and I am working without cease to ensure California becomes a safer and better place for our families." Meanwhile, Tony Mendoza announced that he has received the endorsement of State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg for his campaign to represent California's 32nd state senatorial district. Steinberg is the Democratic leader in the state senate. In 2010, he was honored with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award by the Kennedy Library Foundation in recognition of his leadership in bipartisan negotiations leading to the state's fiscal recovery. "Tony understands the issues that matter most to Californians and understands how to make government work for people," Steinberg said in a statement. "His experience and ability to bring people together to solve problems will make him a strong voice for the residents of the 32nd Senate District and for all Californians." Mendoza has also received endorsements from Congress members Janice Hahn and Grace Napolitano, California superintendent of public instruction Tom Torlakson, and others. Also this week, candidate Kevin Perez-Allen announced he is dropping out of the race for state senate and instead is running for Whittier City Council. Perez-Allen was one of several candidates for State Senate District 32, which encompasses Downey, Whittier and other local communities. In a Facebook post, Perez-Allen said he is shifting his focus exclusively to Whittier. "The breaking point came two weeks ago when I was speaking to a small group of senior citizens at a farmers market in Uptown Whittier," Perez-Allen wrote. "A woman named Irma came up and, in an extraordinarily confident manner, said to me, 'You would make a great Senator, but we need you here first.' Since that time, I have weighed the options, spoken with advisors and looked into the issues. "

********** Published: Oct. 10, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 26