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Mayoral Candidate's Political Associations on Voter's Mind

Grace Y. Lim |
March 5, 2013 | 9:04 p.m. PST

Columnist

 

Photo of Francisco Miguel Rosales, (Grace Y. Lim)
Photo of Francisco Miguel Rosales, (Grace Y. Lim)
Francisco Miguel Rosales, 51, walked down the Berendo Middle School Auditorium’s front stairs, leaving only one vote punched in the foyer behind him.

Rosales only voted in the mayoral race because it was the one he had time to research, and the one that hit closest to home.

The mayoral candidate Rosales chose for his associations with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and President Barack Obama: Emanuel Pleitez.

“I went online and I checked what it is he worked for, and he worked for Villaraigosa and Obama,” said Rosales.

Pleitez has worked for Mayor Villaraigosa as a field aide and personal assistant, and for President Obama on the U.S. Treasury Review team and Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Since Rosales is a supporter of Mayor Villaraigosa and President Obama, Pleitez’s experience with them pushed Rosales’ vote.

Pleitez’s background growing up in the working class neighborhood El Sereno, and his experience in management, could help other working class citizens like Rosales as well.

“What’s important to me is a job, and security in the street, no more gang members and drug dealers,” Rosales said.

Rosales lives less than half a mile from Berendo Middle School in the Pico-Union area, and also works very close to the area. In the last week, from Feb. 24 to March 2, two-thirds of the crimes reported in the Pico-Union area were property theft crimes, according to the Los Angeles Times Mapping L.A. project.

Rosales’ biggest complaint was this kind of crime in his neighborhood.

“They broke into my car, and two months ago they broke into my brother’s car and they took the battery and things like that,” Rosales said.

When asked whether he thought Pleitez would help solve these problems in the area, Rosales answered with a laugh. “I hope. That’s what he promised. It’s hard to say if he’s going to do that.”

Though Rosales’ confidence in Pleitez is hopeful at best, his vote for mayor was made based on online research. Even so, Pleitez was the only candidate he voted for on the ballot, because Rosales did not want to vote for any candidates he did not research. 

“I didn’t vote for them because I didn’t take the time to read about what they have done,” Rosales said.

Rosales and Pleitez will soon see whether both of their research and experience will pay off in the results of this election.

 



 

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