It’s official. Sort of. West Hollywood City Council member John Duran has registered with the California Secretary of State’s office to declare his candidacy for the LA County Supervisor’s seat now held by Zev Yaroslavsky. And Donna Saur confirmed to WEHOville that she will run for a seat on the West Hollywood City Council in 2015.
Duran has said previously that he is considering a run for the Third District seat on the five-member Board of Supervisors, which is the executive and legislative body that governs Los Angeles County. The Third District covers a large area of almost two million people across 431 square miles that includes Silver Lake and North Hollywood, Santa Monica and Malibu as well as West Hollywood. His filing a report with the California Secretary of State’s Office about formation of the Duran for County Supervisor 2014 campaign finance group confirms his entry in the race. Political observers estimate he will need to raise $2 million to fund the campaign for the June 2014 election. Already announced as a candidate for the race is former state Assembly member Sheila Kuehl, the first openly gay person elected to the California legislature when she won a seat in 1994. With the entry of Duran, who also is gay, there will be two gay candidates for the seat that Yaroslavsky is giving up because of term limits. LA Weekly has quoted Kuehl as saying she will need to raise at least $1.4 million for her campaign.
Donna Saur, a member of the West Hollywood Public Facilities Commission and deputy to the late WeHo Councilmember Sal Guariello, confirmed to WEHOville her rumored interest in running for the council in 2015. “I plan to,” Saur said, noting that the election is still a year and a half away. “We never know what fate has in store for us, but as long as my life is fruitful and I can be helpful, I will run.”
Saur joins other announced candidates for seats held by incumbents John Heilman, John D’Amico and Abbe Land. They include Larry Block, owner of the Block Party clothing stores, Lucas John Junkin, an event promoter and publisher of WeHo Confidential, and Tristan Schukraft, owner of ID Technologies 90. Also rumored to be running is Heidi Shink, a newly appointed member of the city Planning Commission.
i’m sure duran will get fair treatment here, on weho confidential. lol.
perhaps these city and county races will shape up to be something fun to watch.
it is funny to watch the carousel of same faces try to grab another rung on the ladder.
no dog in this fight, so good luck to all. from the history and party affiliation, they all agree on all the issues, so this becomes a intra party tribal battle.
but really? where are the fresh faces? people of stature and accomplishment?
underpants sellers, go-go dancers, hack lawyers and has been retreads….really?
And you really think that the people with half a brain who are middle of the road and want business friendly are going to vote for Sheila? I can just see the debates: Senator Kuel, when were you first admitted to the communist party?
new rule: weho council members who are actively campaigning for another office that would make them ineligible from the one we just entrusted them with, should resign from council immediately. is there no shame?
Do not allow Duran to win. We do not need him as la county supervisor. No thank you. First the credit card scandal now he wants to remove the gay flag on city hall. No thank you, we do not need him for Los Angeles Just like Sarah Palin didn’t automatically get women’s votes, gays should not vote for him just because he is gay.
Let’s not forget the trainwreck that was his Meningitis scare-mongering. Oh, and that stupid vodka stunt. This man is a joke.
For openers, Duran is in the hands of the developers. He’s taken campaign donations from Townscape, Siegel and Irwin (Icm building and 8150 Sunset) and was against term limits. He’s a sell-out and is ready to have 8150 Sunset dump all of its sewage into Havenhurst Drive. He’s owned by lobbyists. Duran might get the gay vote – not mine – but wait until they start digging into his past. Like the credit card fraud investigation by the D.A. for two years. That is only tip of the iceberg when it comes to Duran. I’m amazed he’s allowed to practice… Read more »