Date: 5/17/2007

California’s newest State Assembly Member-elect from the 39th District could take the oath office as earlier as next week, thanks in part to the strong -- and early -- support he received from CSLEA’s political action trustees and team.

Democrat Felipe Fuentes had been considered the front runner in a special election to fill the vacancy left by Richard Alarcon, who left his Van Nuys and Panorama City-based state assembly seat to return to the Los Angeles City Council.

What had been in doubt, however, was whether Fuentes could garner more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday night (May 15) to avoid having to face a runoff with the top finisher of the other major, qualified parties. The doubt was answered when Fuentes crossed the finish line with 50.86 percent of the vote, surpassing the 50%+1 requirement -- becoming an immediate winner by taking the contest outright!

Fuentes, who also had the early and strong support of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, State Senator Alex Padilla, and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa bested three other Democrat candidates (there were five candidates in the race) to win the seat. Fuentes starts his new job as no stranger to politics. He has been an aide to former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and a chief deputy to Sen. Alex Padilla when Padilla was on the Los Angeles City Council as the council president.

“CSLEA’s political action committee conducted what is commonly referred to as an Independent Expenditure Campaign (I.E). By its own means and through its political consultant, four mailings were produced to targeted, high-propensity voters in the 39th Assembly District with a message asking voters to support Felipe Fuentes. This was done completely separate from any of the campaigns or its agents and allows CSLEA to deliver strong, unlimited, and independent political action in support or opposition to a candidate of CSLEA’s choosing,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.

Barcelona further noted that CSLEA’s support had an extra importance given that off-year, special elections are notorious for extremely low turnouts of voters, and this one proved no exception. “I first would like to congratulate new State Assembly Member-elect Felipe Fuentes on his victory,” said Barcelona, “but I also want to commend our own political action committee for another victory. Together with the tremendous successes we had last year, and in election cycles since 2002, it delights me to report to all CSLEA members that our political action efforts have been honed to a science. We have the type of flexibility to be the major player in an election and/or work with like-minded groups in an I.E. campaign together by leveraging our resources and ensuring that every campaign rule and regulation is followed. In a special election like the 39th State Assembly District, polling, targeting, delivering our message to the correct voters at the right time, and ensuring they get to the polls is everything. We need more pro-public-safety supporters in the California Legislature, and I believe Felipe Fuentes will be a strong supporter of all those who serve the state of California with honor, distinction, and incredible sacrifice. Bravo to our members and the CSLEA political action trustees, staff, and consulting team.”