LOS ANGELES (CNS) — State Senate Majority Leader Robert Hertzberg announced a run for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week, vowing to bring a powerful voice to the board on behalf of the San Fernando Valley.
“We in the valley know what it means to have an 818 area code,” Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 18, announcing his run for the District 3 seat being vacated by Sheila Kuehl. “And the fact is, the San Fernando Valley is simply too big to not have a voice on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
“I’m running for county supervisor to take on the urgent issues of today — and to develop long-term solutions for the issues of tomorrow,” he said. “Housing, homelessness, mental health, public safety and more are critical issues that must be tackled with urgency at the county level. At the same time, we must develop policies to address water, climate change, extreme heat, transportation, health care, jobs, environmental protection and economic development.”
Hertzberg joins a field of candidates that already includes West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath; Sen. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas; and Assemblymember Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica.
The District 3 seat represents an area that includes Santa Monica, the Westside and West Hollywood, along with the bulk of the San Fernando Valley.
Hertzberg was elected to the state Assembly in 1996, and spent time serving as Assembly Speaker. After six years, he returned to the private sector. He made an unsuccessful run for Los Angeles mayor in 2005, but he returned to Sacramento in 2014 with his election to the state Senate.
Hertzberg was reprimanded by the Senate in 2018 over his propensity for hugging fellow legislators and staffers, although investigators found there was no illicit intent behind his actions.
With his campaign announcement Tuesday, Hertzberg also unveiled a list of about 100 endorsements, including elected officials, five labor unions and various community leaders.