Even before incumbent Jose Huizar of Los Angeles’ 14th District arrived at his alma mater in Boyle Heights, the school's gymnasium was primed for a victory party.

In arguably the most vicious and controversial campaign of the March 8 L.A. municipal elections, Huizar dominated challenger Rudy Martinez Tuesday night by almost a two to one margin. To celebrate, Huizar’s staff decked out the gym of Salesian High School in the spirit of an authentic Mexican fiesta, complete with a buffet of handmade quesadillas, guacamole and chips and more than a dozen bottles of tequila.

Jose Huizar Reelected to Los Angeles City Council from Benjamin Gottlieb on Vimeo.

The vote was roughly 65 percent in favor of Huizar when he announced the victory to his supporters late Tuesday evening. Even with the L.A.-Times’ endorsement of Martinez and the rampant anti-incumbent rhetoric that defined the municipals, Huizar defeated Martinez easily.

“Yeah, for municipal elections its hard to get people to vote,” Huizar said. “But at the end of the day, we have to restore people’s faith in government.”

Huizar pointed to Martinez’s mudslinging as the eventual downfall of his challenger’s election aspirations.

“What did surprise me is the extent and the intensity of my opponent’s negativity,” Huizar said. “I think that my opponent thought that if you throw as much mud as you can throw, that’s how you’re going to win. But he never really said what he is about. You can’t just throw mud and stand there and think people are going to vote for you.”

Huizar, a former LAUSD board member and veteran of local politics, and Martinez were once friends. However, Martinez – best known for staring on the reality TV show “Flip This House” – launched a smear campaign early on in the campaign process defaming Huizar.

The back and forth political slander reached its boiling point after a Huizar consultant wrote that the election would put “a political bullet in Rudy Martinez’s head.”

Among Huizar’s supporters at the event were childhood friend and LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Listen to Garcia’s endorsement for Huizar’s reelection below:

Listen!

Huizar will maintain his position of L.A. city councilman for District 14, an area that includes Boyle Heights, Downtown, Eagle Rock, El Sereno, Garvanza, Glassell Park, Hermon, Highland Park and Mount Washington.

Bob Schoonover – President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721 – said Huizar had his chapter’s full support for reelection.

“We’ve had a good working environment over the past several years with Jose [Huizar],” Schoonover said. “He’s always willing to listen and work with us to protect workers’ rights.”

Huizar said he was honored to be reelected in his district during his celebratory speech late Tuesday. He touted the hard work of his friends, family and staff for aiding in his reelection campaign.

View Neon Tommy's L.A. municipal election coverage here.
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