Vice Mayor Val Lerch, who is running as a write-in candidate to serve a third term in the 9th District City Council seat, has announced his kickoff campaign and a fundraiser will take place Aug. 3 at El Ranchito Restaurant, 5345 Long Beach Blvd., from 6 to 8 p.m.
The election takes place April 13, 2010, and Lerch faces a mix of advantages and challenges. As an incumbent, he has an edge over the competition, but as a write-in candidate he has a serious disadvantage. Few write-in campaigns have been pulled off in Long Beach politics. The most notable and recent one was when then-Mayor Beverly O'Neill one a third term with a write-in campaign in 2002.
Lerch faces three announced opponents so far: Steve Neal, a social worker who came close to defeated Lerch in 2006; Dan Pressburg, a financial consultant who previously worked on Lerch's campaign and council staff; and Brad Shore, a therapist, airline employee and union activist.
Learn more about Lerch and his opponents on their Web sites (I don't believe Pressburg has one yet): www.writeinvallerch.com, www.steveneal.org, www.bradshore.org.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
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.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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