Just days after he snubbed her, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today endorsed Councilwoman Janice Hahn's run for lieutenant governor.
"I know first hand that Janice Hahn is ready to lead California as our next lieutenant governor," Villaraigosa said in a statement released by Hahn's campaign staff.
"Janice Hahn knows what it will take to get the job done and fight for all Californians," he said. "I have worked side-by-side with Janice fighting gang violence, greening and growing the Port of Los Angeles and creating jobs for Angelenos. There is no doubt that Janice Hahn is the tough, strong leader California needs as their next lieutenant governor."
On Monday, Villaraigosa sang Hahn's praises as a councilwoman but never mentioned her run for lieutenant governor, all while encouraging the community to support Rep. Jane Harman's bid for re-election.
The endorsement comes as many across the state wait to see whether San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will toss his hat into the lieutenant governor's race. Newsom pulled nomination papers this afternoon and paid a filing fee, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He has until 5 p.m. Friday to submit the forms.
Apparently frightened of Newsom's name recognition across the state, Hahn launched a pair of online videos criticizing her potential rival for the Democratic nomination.
Villaraigosa apparently isn't a fan of Newsom either. The big city mayors were poised to duke it out for the governor's seat, but backed down when Jerry Brown trounced the pair in fundraising and preliminary polls months before he ever confirmed his own nomination.
