Politics & Government

Garcetti 'Honored' to Lead L.A. for Next Four Years

City councilman edges Controller Wendy Greuel in tight mayoral race. Final votes still await tallying.

Hundreds of Eric Garcetti supporters packed into Hollywood Palladium Tuesday night to hear the candidate in a tightly-contested race for Los Angeles' 42nd mayor pull away into the lead and, potentially, be the victor. The final results were not tallied after midnight, but the mood and fanfare in the Garcetti camp could not be ignored.

City Controller Wendy Greuel's campaign party kicked off at The Exchange in downtown Tuesday night. Shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, she called Garcetti to concede the mayoral election, according to the Los Angeles Times and a reporter's Tweet at LAWeekly.

Near 3 a.m. Wednesday, Garcetti posted this Tweet: "Thank you Los Angeles--the hard work begins but I am honored to lead this city for the next four years. Let's make this a great city again."

Arriving stage with his wife Amy and a league of supporters after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Garcetti thanked the voters of Los Angeles for choosing the next mayor and "not any power brokers." Garcetti stood on stage with his father Gil and mother Sukey Roth, as well as his former mayoral opponents Jan Perry, Kevin James and Emmanuel Pleitez.

Jimmie Woods-Gray, of the Crenshaw District, said she's been volunteering with Garcetti's campaign for at least two years. She's been working on political campaigns for the last 30 to 40 years and said she's the first black person in the city elected to Los Angeles' County Democratic Party.

"I believe in Eric," she said. "He won me over."

"Melrose" Larry Green, of Hollywood, echoed the same thoughts about Garcetti. He said he ran for mayor twice in lost, last in 2001.

"Eric Garcetti is about as good as it gets," he said.

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