UPDATED: Who’s running for Congress?

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TOP L TO R: Ronda Kennedy, Anthony Portantino, Maebe A. Girl
MIDDLE L TO R: Ben Savage, Josh Bocanegra, Laura Friedman,
BOTTOM L TO R: Mike Feuer, Nick Melvoin, Sepi Shyne,

Mayor Sepi Shyne isn’t the only one to have her eye on Rep. Adam Schiff’s seat. There are currently nine candidates who have filed paperwork to take Schiff’s place as the congressman tries his hand at race for Senate. As of publication, Shyne had not yet filed her campaign forms.

Ronda Kennedy

So far the only GOP candidate in the race, Kennedy ran against Schiff in the Summer 2022 primary and came in third. According to Ballotpedia, Kennedy is an attorney and graduate of Ashford University. Her campaign website is online, but curiously it says she’s running for U.S. Senate in Nevada.

Anthony Portantino

Anthony Portantino is state Senator of the Glendale area. A former production designer and art director in the film industry, he began his career in politics as a member of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council. A protege of former Assemblymember Carol Liu, Portantino was endorsed by his mentor and eventually filled her seat representing the 44th Assembly District. He served in the Assembly from 2006-2012 and became a state senator in 2016. He is known for blocking efforts to increase housing production; in 2021, he killed a bill that removed minimum parking requirements for some new housing near transit stations.

Maebe A. Girl

After becoming the first drag queen elected to public office (Silver Lake Neighborhood Council) Maebe A. Girl a.k.a. G. Pudlo aims to be the first transgender person elected to Congress. She is a vocal opponent of Adam Schiff, whom she ran against in 2020 and 2022, when she came in second place.

Josh Bocanegra

Josh Bocanegra is CEO and founder of Persona Technologies, a chatbot/artificial intelligence company focused on building chatbots for public figures. A 2015 article claimed he was working on technology that would transfer a person’s consciousness to an artificial body.

Laura Friedman 

A film industry executive in the 1990s, Friedman first entered politics as a member of the Glendale City Council during the 2010s. She served as mayor in 2011. In 2016, she was elected to the California Assembly, representing the 43rd Assembly District. As a member of the Assembly, she pursued the elimination of minimum parking requirements for housing near mass transit station, and a bill she authored was signed into law last year. Portantino fought similar efforts in years prior. 

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Nick Melvoin

A former teacher, Nick Melvoin was re-elected by a large margin to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Trustees just this past November. At 38 years old, he is the board’s second-youngest member. A Harvard graduate born in Brentwood, Melvoin won an upset victory in 2017 as a strong supporter of charter school education. 

Ben Savage

One of the most successful child actors of the 1990s, Savage recently dipped his toes in the political pool when he ran for WeHo City Council last fall. The ‘Boy Meets World’ star was once registered to vote as a Republican but now has the support of the powerful special-interest union, UNITE HERE Local 11.

Sepi Shyne

WeHo’s new mayor has served on City Council since 2020. Born in Iran, she fled the country’s revolution as a child and continues to advocate for the people of her homeland. She was the first out, lesbian Iranian woman ever elected to office, her campaign has said.

Mike Feuer

Formerly the Los Angeles city attorney, Mike Feuer was in the running for mayor of L.A. before dropping out and endorsing eventual winner Karen Bass.

Drew Michael Britton

No information available.

WEHOville will update this list as it grows. 

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Alan Strasburg
Alan Strasburg
1 year ago

It took all of five minutes to whittle this list of clowns down to three serious contenders.

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[…] from West Hollywood to Pasadena, has already drawn significant interest. Nine candidates have filed paperwork to run, including actor Ben Savage, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for the West Hollywood […]

Scott Sigman
Scott Sigman
1 year ago

I think we need 10 more candidates. Really good ones

Disbelief
Disbelief
1 year ago

Oh this Ronda Kennedy is a hoot. She’s a practicing attorney in Ventura County, well outside our district. She applied for an appointment to the Santa Clarita City Council, outside our district. She’s also dean of American Heritage University School of Law, based in Ontario or Rancho Cucamonga, well outside our district. The State Bar reports the school closed; the state also ordered AHU to shut down entirely in 2021 but they are still soliciting students. Back to Ronda, per her LinkedIn she’s also corporate counsel to Power Engineering and Manufacturing in Iowa, again well outside our district. She also… Read more »

Stevie
Stevie
1 year ago
Reply to  Disbelief

If she were a democrat, the idiot voters would elect her in a minute just like Lindsey.

Ham Shipey
Ham Shipey
1 year ago

Thanks for a good laugh.

Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
1 year ago

Ugh

The Only Choice
The Only Choice
1 year ago

California would be lucky to have Mike Feuer in Adam Schiff’s seat. A fully credentialed and ethical choice. A person of the people, by the people and for the people.

Wacky Weho
Wacky Weho
1 year ago

Good lord – Feuer is a filing away from federal fraud charges. He’s up to his neck in the LADWP class action fraud scandal.

Radioactive – will never hold elected office again

The Only Choice
The Only Choice
1 year ago
Reply to  Wacky Weho

Please be specific in that accusation.

Wacky Weho
Wacky Weho
1 year ago

He was the head lawyer in a case where they, the defendant (City of Los Angeles) knowingly committed fraud.

Mikey claims he knew nothing about it. Said he doesnt recall anything relevant during Justice Department depositions.

FBI raided his office – they seemed to disagree.

Either he’s a crook or he’s so mindbogglingly incompetent he doesn’t know what his subordinate staff and their outside counsel are up to. Either way, not exactly a stellar candidate.

The Only Choice
The Only Choice
1 year ago
Reply to  Wacky Weho

Completely out of character for Mike Feurer during his career of service.

Details
Details
1 year ago
Reply to  Wacky Weho

Parker & Paradis, attorneys within the office pleaded guilty. This did not encompass Mike Feuer. Please check your facts.

Joan Henehan
Joan Henehan
1 year ago

100%! Mike is by and for the People and he knows how to WORK!

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[…] face current WeHo Mayor Sepi Shyne and possibly several other local office holders in a fierce competition to replace U.S. Rep. Adam […]

Gio Ruiz
Gio Ruiz
1 year ago

I’m sorry that this article does not make any mention about the fact that Senator Portantino has been a champion for LGBT Rights. In fact, in 2011 the youth LGBTQ+ rights group the Stonewall Young Democrats, offered him their Hero Award. As he carries on this mission, Portantino emphasizes the ability each person possesses to have a positive effect on the world. The fight for LGBTQ rights is a personal one for Anthony Portantino. Portantino’s brother Michael, who was gay, advocated for gay rights for decades. Michael Portantino was also the editor of the San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times.… Read more »

Adam
Adam
1 year ago

Schiff represents the 30th District now. We updated the numbers after the 2020 Census…

enemyofthestate
enemyofthestate
1 year ago

Sour malcontent Shyne aspires to feed at the public trough by biting the hands of the taxpayers who keep the trough filled.

Rose
Rose
1 year ago

Anyone with a West Hollywood Pedigree anywhere in their CV should be denied by vote any position in State or Federal Government.

Cutting Policing – non starter
Crime Stats -Non Starter
Greed, Embezzlement, sell outs to developers – non starter
(Not saying all we’re part of any just listed, but no effort to stop or at least inform residents (and local news, Proper Law Enforcement) – non starter

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