LA Mayor Race 2013: Meet The Competing Candidates (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

Who will be the next mayor of Los Angeles? Judging from the numbers so far, either LA City Controller Wendy Greuel or City Councilman Eric Garcetti, who were each able to raise just over $1 million in 2011, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Campaign finance reports filed Tuesday showed Councilwoman Jan Perry coming up third, with nearly $827,000 raised and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa "job czar" Austin Beutner in fourth with about $627,000. Conservative radio host Kevin James was the fifth and only other candidate to file campaign earnings, which equaled $154,000.

Of course, it's about more than the money, and the election isn't until May 2013. In addition to the five candidates who filed fundraising figures, there are five others who filed paperwork to raise money for a campaign. And a few of them are real characters.

To help you sort out who's who, we've put together a slideshow of the candidates, which we'll be updating throughout the campaign. Who gets your vote for the next mayor of Los Angeles?

[Ed. note: Malcolm Mays, who has filed paperwork for the campaign, did not respond to HuffPost's calls. He will be added to the slideshow as soon as he gets in touch. Two who are included, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and real estate developed Rick Caruso, have not turned in paperwork but have said that they are considering running.]

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Comments

[tedcrisell]

12:31 AM on 05/26/2012

You have the name spelled incorrectly for Ted Crisell.

Please if possible will you correct. I understand you have named the heavy weight candidates in the race and I guess I am the light weight character....ahhh, is the race not about the money??
When will you name the real issues? Why not list resumes, business and education backgrounds and each candidates stands on the important issues, starting with city hall corruption and why the city is broke?

[Draiman]

12:39 PM on 04/26/2012

Is the year 2013 Los Angeles Voters must kick the bums out of City Hall

2013 is the year Los Angeles Voters can change City Hall and kick the bums out of LA City Council, with a Mayoral election and eight of fifteen seats up for re-election. That could be an opportunity to field a slate in opposition against the incumbents and to band together behind a big issue, like land use reform. Land use is how the city can accommodate growth and even boost the economy. Fiscal responsibility, Education reform, Public transportation expansion and reduced bureaucracy, we need credible new candidates with a strong backbone to stand up to the current administration and bring about the change to improve conditions in the City of Los Angeles.
I fill confident, that if people want change they'd just vote for it.

After all this is supposed to be “Government by the people for the people”. Let us exercise our right as citizens and vote the bums out.

What we need is a Statesman – Not a Politician

YJ Draiman

http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com

PS.
A Statesman or Politician, What is The Difference?
A politician is only focused on reelection.
A politician is willing to sacrifice his principals if it will help them get reelected. This leads to the waters of their character becoming muddied. When a person’s character becomes tarnished it takes a lot harder to clean it than it is to clean tarnished silver.

[Draiman for Mayor of LA]

11:44 AM on 04/09/2012

Los Angeles Economic Development – YJ Draiman

It is time to remake Los Angeles in the image of our boldest vision – a city of healthy communities with good schools and quality education, innovative companies in new and emerging sectors, quality open space, improved public transportation, a range of mobility and housing options; and above all, a prosperous and productive middle class equipped with the skills and education to create a better future.

It is time to get serious about designing a real economic development program linked to investments in healthy communities. I recently proposed to make Los Angeles the World Capital of Renewable Energy, Energy and Water Efficiency. We have the climate, the manpower, the resources and technology. We must promote energy and water efficiency in all sectors of LA’s economy. This by itself can save the city billions and bring many jobs and economic growth into Los Angeles. We should promote real estate gentrification, affordable housing, urban infill building, economic development and clean tech sorted through the parts of redevelopment worth retaining and retooling combined with some newer elements of economic development necessary to realize this vision of healthy communities.

In the past five years many businesses in LA have closed down or moved out. There are many vacant properties (commercial and residential). Many people have moved out of LA.

This situation must change, or we are doomed.

It is imperative that we reverse this trend.

YJ Draiman

http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com

[yj draiman for mayor]

10:32 AM on 03/18/2012

No clear lead for Los Angeles Mayoral Candidates

YJ Draiman, a relatively unknown candidate for Mayor, found himself in a prime position on the lineup with an audience that was his, and he faced that opportunity by driving his point’s home with a forceful presentation that was persuasive in its delivery.

In a clear demonstration of his compassion for the audience, he capitalized on opportunities to relax and revel in the supportive nature, punching campaign bullet points for the audience, challenging the current administration responsible for standing in the way of success. YJ Draiman’s vision is to make Los Angeles the World Capital of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Kevin James found himself in the unenviable position of addressing a restless audience and he turned it around by wrangling their discontent and rallying them around his observation, “As the sixth speaker, I get to listen to the others talk about what’s wrong with LA and now we get to talk about solutions. Kevin stated numerous times that only Draiman’s speech mirrored many of his points.”

http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com

[Yj Draiman]

11:08 PM on 03/08/2012

8 candidates showed up for the Los Angeles Crenshaw Chamber of Commerce Mayoral forum on March 6, 2012. “Who will be the next Mayor of Los Angeles”.

Jan Perry, Austin Beutner, Wendy Greuel, Eric Garcetti, YJ Draiman, Kevin James, Addie Miller and Ted Crisell.

After the Crenshaw Mayoral forum in Los Angeles on March 6, 2012 we have some more information on another up and coming candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles who is YJ Draiman, an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council, Draiman is an Energy efficiency and Utilities audit expert. Promises a no nonsense approach to government, overhaul the education system, extensive cuts in city government and increased efficiencies. YJ Draiman's vision is to make Los Angeles as the World Capital of Renewable energy and conservation.

[SandyCA]

04:31 PM on 02/20/2012

The people of LA have the RIGHT to hear ALL candidates positions on the issues confronting our city! Our unaddressed issues have been one of our Biggest Problems and are Destroying Us!!! We also have a RIGHT to see the confrontation between ALL candidates as to what their plans for rebuilding this city will be and what the other candidates think of their plans. Not being willing to debate is no more, no less, than COWARDICE, NOT a GOOD TRAIT for a competing candidate!!! If a candidate was Sure of his Plan for this city, he would be More than WILLING to address it!!! If not, they would do what they are doing now, keeping us In The Dark as to what their strategy is for Saving This City!!! We can't Play Games here Angelenos, demand that ALL Candidates Debate or GET OUT of the RACE!!!

[SandyCA]

07:38 PM on 02/18/2012

Beware of candidates who don't want to debate! More times than not, they have plans they don't think you'll go for!

[SandyCA]

10:42 PM on 02/17/2012

Just heard that all candidates, except Kevin James, did not turn in their info to be in the first debate which was to be Feb 23. Hmmmmmm! Wonder why? I've got my answer. I'll let you come up with your own. Funny the candidates who qualified were all together at UCLA months ago before Kevin qualified! Hmmmmm!

[SandyCA]

07:08 PM on 02/11/2012

Don't rely on the accuracy of the "Rate It" top five candidate system above! You can vote as many times as you want and some obviously are! I reported it. No response!!! Just a heads up! Online Voter Fraud is what I'd call it!

[runfastandwin]

05:23 PM on 02/09/2012

Caruso - because Riordan did such a great job, just what we need, another gazillionaire that just wants to be mayor because he is bored with the private sector.

[runfastandwin]

05:21 PM on 02/09/2012

Gay Republicans. How bad must they dissemble each morning when they look in the mirror.

[SandyCA]

07:04 PM on 02/11/2012

No need to dissemble at all!!! If you have the enthusiasm, knowledge and know-how to change this city, as desperate a situation as it's in and want to put yourself out there as a candidate for Mayor, let's have respect for people like that!!! Why don't you put yourself out there with them, runfastandwin? If you don't have the will to do that, let's not belittle the ones that Care Enough to try and Save "OUR'' CITY!!! ( yes, Your city as well as all of ours!) DEAL?

[RatPack78]

02:18 PM on 02/06/2012

Reject anyone remotely associated with the current leaders of Los Angeles. This city is falling apart.

[skraeling]

02:50 PM on 02/06/2012

and, end the unions along with them. they are covered by Civil Service that should be enough.

[TAMBER]

10:35 AM on 02/06/2012

Garcetti is owned by developers. DO NOT VOTE FOR GARCETTI. He has ruined Hollywood.

[manosdepierda]

08:27 PM on 02/06/2012

glad im not the only soul in LA that believes that too

[CITYTERRACE63]

10:36 PM on 02/06/2012

Hollywood is so ruined. I drove down Hollywood Blvd the other night and the place is packed with tourists and new clubs and restaurants. I lived in Hollywood in the mid 90's when it was a drug and crime infested area. We need more development and get rid of all that slum housing in East Hollywood. If I still lived in the city I would vote for Garcetti or Caruso. The rest of the city needs a bulldozer taken to it.

[manosdepierda]

08:52 PM on 02/08/2012

The current trend of urban revitalization includes displacing folks who really needed that rent-controlled/affordable housing, but if you're gonna have "development" please do so in a fashion that just doesn't benefit the rich, middle class hipster/touristy folk. which is what garcetti has done with silver lake, hollywood, and almost 100% transformed echo park.

[FTracy3]

11:58 PM on 02/05/2012

Wendy Greuel has done a pretty good job as controller..heraudits have revealed a lot of financial mismanagement (although no one every seems to be punished for it) and has worked for more transparency in government, often against a kicking and screaming city council or city agency. But I'm not optimistic about any of them. LA has become a cesspool of political jockeying, headed by the current "All About Me" Mayor. Not that Republicans would necessarily be any better (although a moderate Republican, Reardon, did a pretty good job), but considering Dems hold almost all the major city offices, the party can surely do better than the hacks we have now.

[SandyCA]

12:45 AM on 02/06/2012

What about the Gold Card situation ( cards given to city officials so they can get out of parking tickets). She never brought that out until she was forced to speak about what she knew. It turned out, even though she said she wasn't aware of it, her very own people were found to have used it! Have you seen the Investigatie news on TV. When they come out with evidence of wrongdoing and report it on their stations, if you've noticed, then and only then does Wendy come out and bring it up as if it was her findings! No, all the incumbents running for Mayor must Not be elected!!! If they get back in, WE'RE DOOMED!!! They all played a role in where we are today by either being corrupt, along with the rest, or sitting back and watching this city FALL to the level it is today and seemingly having NO REMORSE!!!! Our only hope is to vote out All incumbents and their associates running for Mayor. We have a LAST CHANCE to change things in 2013! Let's Not Blow It!!! I'm a Native of this city and I have always adored it!!! I will NOT sit back and see it destroyed! Incumbents in office will bring us "More Of The Same!" Antonio is withholding paying bills so he won't have to file Bankrupcy while he's still Mayor!!! What a Waste of our money he Is and always Will Be!!!

[skraeling]

01:29 AM on 02/06/2012

oh my....you have really jumped the shark on Gruel.....She has achieved nothing as controller and she has cost the city far, far more with her leaving her just reelected position on the Council to where she is now...those elections cost millions....She is supported by the studio execs which is fine, but if you live in Studio City you will notice a sharp downward slide...As for the financial mismanagement, Ms Gruel was part of it for years and now, she seeks another office that controls even more....She is not what you think......bad news for Studio City, bad news for LA..

[sepia830]

11:34 PM on 02/05/2012

If Zev Yaroslavsky does run for mayor, he has my support 100%. Why? Because almost two years ago I had a problem at work (County of LA) where I solicited his help. I sent complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Fair Employment and Housing and another Board of Supervisor member and Mr. Yarolslavsky is the one who immediatley stepped in to help me. He sent me a letter with his business card along with a copy of the letter he sent to my department instructing them to address my issues immediately and had his people (who were very pleasant to deal with) follow-up with me. I was and still am extremely impressed with his commitment to me as a County employee.

And if you have ever seen him or heard him speak on the news, you know that he does not entertain nonsense.

[skraeling]

01:32 AM on 02/06/2012

He cost us billions in his opposition to the subway...his responsibility is the Music Center and the Chandler Pavillion is decaying and poorly maintained, while the entire Center is bland and mis used being let out to certain "restaraunt owners" with no thought to anything else. He should not be mayor...he, like Gruel, should be rejected flatly by the voters.