In the secretly recorded conversation that upended his political career , Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León kept returning to a familiar theme: preserving and expanding Latino political power.
De León was captured on the recording saying he wanted to make sure his Eastside district “remains Latino” even after he’s gone. He bemoaned the lack of political clout wielded by Latinos in L.A., especially when compared with the Black community.
Now, De León is on track to lose his seat, largely because of the scandal over the recording, which featured crude and racist remarks. His defeat, after a single four-year term, would leave Latinos occupying just four of the council’s 15 seats at a time when they make up half the city’s population.
Tenant rights attorney Ysabel Jurado was leading De León by double digits on Wednesday, in a district stretching from downtown to Eagle Rock. If that trend holds, she will become the first Filipino American to serve on the council.
It would also mean that the 14th District, which takes in heavily Mexican American areas such as Boyle Heights and El Sereno, would not have a Latino representative for the first time since 1985, when Richard Alatorre won the seat .