Ridley-Thomas wins first major endorsements

In the first major endorsements in the race for the 2nd Supervisorial District, state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles, was the choice of a group of county workers over Los Angeles Councilman Bernard Parks.

The closely watched race for the successor to Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke has drawn wide interest because of the rarity of having an open seat on the powerful board.

Unions are expected to play a major role in what is believed will be a low turnout election in June.

Ridley-Thomas, a former city councilman, received the backing of a coalition of county nurses, firefighters, homecare workers and probation officers.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, is scheduled to make its recommendations soon to its other union members.