Los Angeles City Councilman Gil Cedillo Monday announced his support for Heather Hutt’s campaign for California’s 54th Assembly District, which will be vacated by Senator-elect Sydney Kamlager.
“As Chair of the L.A. City Council’s Housing Committee, I know firsthand how important it is that we elect candidates who are dedicated to creating more affordable housing solutions for Angelenos. I’m proud to support Heather Hutt because she shares this vision for a more proactive approach to addressing our region’s homelessness crisis. Her perspective and experience in public service are greatly needed in Sacramento,” Cedillo said in a statement.
Hutt, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, served as Vice President Kamala Harris’ California statewide director during her time in the U.S. Senate, making Hutt the first Black U.S. Senate state director in the history of California. In the role, she served as the senator’s representative among constituents and elected leaders in California. She focused her efforts on issues including Trump’s policies toward Dreamers and immigrants and the healthcare industry’s implicit bias against women and women of color.
Before working for Harris, Hutt worked as California Sen. Isadore Hall’s district director and the treasurer of the California Democratic Party’s Black Caucus. According to her website, during her time as district director she focused on policy changing involving environmental justice for Watts and South Los Angeles.
As an activist and organizer, she has launched campaigns including the Vote L.A. campaign, the L.A. Cities Clean Air-Clean Water campaign and worked to help pass the Durbin Bill to provide aid to small businesses.
Cedillo joins several elected leaders in his endorsement for Hutt, including:
— City Councilman Curren Price;
— County Supervisor Janice Hahn;
— Assemblymen Miguel Santiago, Richard Bloom, Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Mike Gibson and Jim Cooper;
— Assemblywomen Lorena Gonzalez, Blanca Rubio and Autumn Burke;
— retired senators Isadore Hall and Kevin Murray;
— retired U.S. Sen. and County Supervisor Yvonne Burke; and
— retired City Council President Herb Wesson.
She was also endorsed by the Black Women Organized for Political Action-PAC and Los Angeles Black Pride & Promote.
The 54th Assembly District consists of Baldwin Hills, Cheviot Hills, the Crenshaw district, Century City, Culver City, Ladera Heights, Mar Vista, Palms, Rancho Park, Westwood and parts of South Los Angeles and Inglewood. It is currently represented by Sydney Kamlager, who on Tuesday was elected to the California State Senate District 30.
Under the state’s Elections Code, Gov. Gavin Newsom has 14 days from Kamlager’s resignation from the Assembly to call a special election. That special election shall be conducted between 126 and 140 days from the proclamation.
A special election may be conducted within 200 days following the proclamation in order to consolidate with an election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory that the vacancy exists.