Election Result Embarrassment for Mayor Tony Richly Deserved

Mayor Tony's smile on Election Night looked more a forced grin. And there's a good reason why. He barely avoided the ultimate embarrassment of being forced into a run-off with a challenger who in this order had a wisp of campaign stash compared to Mayor Tony's millions, is relatively young, never held an office, is white, an apparent conservative leaning Republican, has no labor ties, had a wisp of a campaign stash, and who authored a city initiative, Jamiel's Law which is widely perceived as anti-Latino. All these things are anathema in Los Angeles, a pro labor, top heavy Latino and Democratic voter city.

Then there is the voter turnout that would have been low even for a one horse country town. This meant that tens of thousands of voters didn't think the mayor's race, or in this case the mayor, was worth driving a couple of blocks and spending a few minutes to punch the ticket for.

So Mayor Tony how do you explain, or rather live down the squeaker election embarrassment? The explanation is of course simple? Tony confuses media mugging, ceremonial photo-ops, and devoting mountains of time to personal and political image burnishing, and making big, bloviating TV camera hogging statements about remaking the city, with actual city governance. That is to devise and enact a comprehensive transportation, affordable housing, and homeless plans, implement solid anti-gang violence programs, put real teeth in neighborhood councils, jumpstart South L.A. economic development, and make transparency and accountability the watchwords in city department operations, starting with his office In other words Mayor Tony with four more years it's time to start being the kind of nuts and bolts, roll up your sleeve, full time problem solving away from the TV cameras mayor that L.A. desperately needs. The election embarrassment was richly deserved.