I celebrated President Barack Obama’s inauguration this morning by covering an event held by the Democrats of the San Gabriel Valley at the Taste of Texas, a bbq restaurant in Covina. The organizers said that the venue had nothing to do with Texas native George Bush, but that it was chosen because it was in the middle of the 57th District. 

The co-hosts of the event were La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan, West Covina Mayor Roger Hernandez, Board of Equalization Chairwoman Judy Chu, who is running for Congress to replace Rep. Hilda Solis, and Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, who was not there because he was in Washington, D.C.

Other elected leaders at the event were La Puente Councilman Dan Holloway and Bassett Unified School District Board Member Laura Santos.

Chu said she listened to Obama’s speech as she was driving between inaugural events. She made it to the Taste of Texas just moments after Obama’s speech, and then she took the stage.

“This is a great moment in history,” Chu said. And then almost a second later, she made her pitch for why she decided to run for Congress — she wants to make sure the San Gabriel Valley gets represetnation — and she hopes she can count on the voters in the San Gabriel Valley.

With a special election expected to be in March, she said, she doesn’t have time to waste.