IAM Local 1930 member and Long Beach Assemblywoman Laura Richardson finished atop an 18-candidate field in a special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Juanita Millender-McDonald. However, since she did not gain a simple majority in the special election, she will need to face a runoff election on August 21st, against the top vote getter from the other party.
Richardson, a Democrat like each of the top three finishers, had 37.8 percent of the vote, while the top Republican candidate had only 7.64 percent. Richardson will be the overwhelming favorite in the predominately Democratic 37th Congressional District, which includes Compton, Carson, much of Long Beach and parts of South Los Angeles. The winner will serve the remainder of Millender-McDonald's two-year term. The congresswoman, who was re-elected in November, died of cancer on April 22 at the age of 68.
Richardson, a former Millender-McDonald aide who served on the Long Beach City Council until being elected to the Assembly in November, is backed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and the California Legislative Black Caucus.
On the City Council, Richardson was instrumental in securing funding for alley maintenance by the City of Long Beach and initiated the planning process for a Senior Transportation Program. She advocated for the first ever 50 million dollar commitment for economic, open space and housing development and created critical outreach programs and events designed to motivate, inspire and empower city residents. Additionally, Laura worked to bring the first new bank to the Central Area of Long Beach since the 1992 riots and is responsible for opening the first job training center for working families in the inner city.
