LA City Council District 14 Race: Kevin de León, Jurado looking to overcome audio leak scandals
LOS ANGELES - As the vibrant dancers at La Plaza Park welcomed incumbent City Councilmember Kevin de León with warm hugs and enthusiastic greetings, the shadows of past controversies loomed large.
de León, who is trying to mend the broken trust of his constituents, is determined to shift the focus from a backroom gerrymandering scandal involving two former city council members.
"Since then, I've worked hard, apologized every day, but we move forward," he stated, hoping to garner support from the community.
However, his opponent, Ysabel Jurado, is not ready to let bygones be bygones. The former tenant rights attorney and single mother, who has deep roots in Highland Park, views de León's past as unforgivable.
"Our leadership has failed us time and time again," she lamented, a sentiment ignited by the leaked audio that prompted her campaign against him.
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Jurado recently found herself in the spotlight for her own audio scandal. When a Cal State LA student asked her about de León's discretionary spending for the police, she quoted a popular rap lyric: "What's that rap lyric? F*** the police, that's how I see 'em."
When questioned if this reflects her actual feelings about law enforcement, Jurado clarified, "It's more like a lived reality for constituents," pointing to the grim statistics of Black and Brown lives lost in the district.
Jurado's campaign has gained traction, buoyed by endorsements from three current city council members. "The magic is that we listened to people," she emphasized, echoing her commitment to improve basic quality of life issues such as street cleaning, lighting, and homelessness – concerns she believes have been overlooked.
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Promising a renewed partnership between the city and county to tackle homelessness, Jurado highlighted the need for cohesive strategies that are currently missing.
"You know, it doesn't make a difference whether left or right; we want the same things: clean, safe streets," de León countered as he reminded constituents of his work in the council to house more individuals experiencing homelessness than any other district.
As the campaign heats up, both candidates outline their visions for the 14th District.
de León, with years of experience in the state Assembly and Senate, successfully received $200 million in grants, which means 250 new trees in Hollenbeck Park and installing new sidewalks. Meanwhile, Jurado offers a fresh perspective, rooted deeply in her lived experience in the community.