Councilman Joe Buscaino Entering LA Mayor's Race
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino is throwing his hat into the ring for the 2022 L.A. mayor's race.
The longtime councilman told the Los Angeles Times Sunday that he will run for mayor, becoming the second big name to enter the race after City Attorney Mike Feuer announced his candidacy last March.
The 46-year-old Buscaino has represented the council's 15th District since 2012. It encompasses the southern L.A. area, including San Pedro, Wilmington and Watts. Buscaino is also president pro tempore of the council.
Prior to joining the city council, he spent 15 years as a police officer in the LAPD. Last July, following the police brutality protests, Buscaino was one of two councilmembers who voted against cutting the LAPD's budget by $150 million.
Earlier this month, when the L.A. City Council voted to veto the mayor's override of a spending plan to redirect some funds from the LAPD to social programs, Buscaino was the only councilmember to vote against the veto.
His wife is a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. In early February, Buscaino announced a plan to sue LAUSD in an effort to force it to reopen campuses.
Incumbent Mayor Eric Garcetti cannot seek a third term due to term limits. The primary for the election is scheduled for June 7, 2022.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
