Council gadfly Harvey Cochran to run for office
After attending every Long Beach City Council meeting for almost two years, it may seem a logical step that council gadfly Harvey Cochran would try to move from behind the podium and onto the council dais.
Cochran told me late Tuesday night as the weekly council meeting was drawing to a close that he is unofficially throwing his hat into the ring to run for the 1st District council seat. It's unofficial because 1st District Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal first must get herself elected to the state Assembly in November.
Lowenthal, a Democrat, is considered the frontrunner in the 54th District, which is dominated by Long Beach and Democratic voters. She is running against Republican Gabriella Holt, a Palos Verdes Peninsula nurse.
With many people assuming that Lowenthal will move up the political ladder, Cochran becomes the third person to confirm an interest in the seat. However, Cochran doesn't actually live in the 1st District. He intends to move there from his 2nd District home, he said.
Cochran is a unique character, to say the least. The lifelong Long Beach resident works at a movie theater and has mental disabilities that he frequently references in council meetings. He explained Tuesday that he is bipolar.
He is also considered the successor to longtime gadfly Thomas Murphy, who died last year, and often makes long-winded statements to the council on multiple, sometimes up to a dozen, agenda items. This often frustrates the council, particularly Mayor Bob Foster, who tries to move meetings along at a steady clip.
The other two likely candidates, so far, are Robert Garcia, president of the North Pine Neighborhood Alliance who was recently promoted to dean of students at Long Beach City College, and Bill Grisolia, a Long Beach homeless advocate, former restaurant owner and musician.
2 Comments
Leave a comment
About the Bloggers
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Telegram, he previously has covered
local and state government and politics in San Diego County, Mexico
and his home state of Kansas.
E-mail Paul at paul.eakins@presstelegram.com.
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
E-mail Kris at kristopher.hanson@
presstelegram.com.
Karen Robes came to work for the Press-
Telegram
in April 2002 as a beat reporter, covering the cities of
Lakewood, Bellflower and Paramount. She now covers business,
specifically redevelopment, tourism and small businesses.
She also writes Eye on Redevelopment, a monthly column that
appears in the Business Monday section.
E-mail Karen at karen.robes@presstelegram.com.
Not much of an incentive for citizens to get involved in civic politics.....you get referred to as a "gadfly". Is that derogative? What is the difference between a regular gadfly, and a longtime gadfly?
I think Harvey is intimatley qualified!
As a self-proclaimed mentally-challenged person, he may not have his wits about him, and tell the truth!