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Incumbent Kevin de León has formally conceded defeat, putting an end a months-long battle between the councilman and progressive challenger Ysabel Jurado in the race to represent Los Angeles’ 14th Council District.

Jurado, a tenant rights attorney and the daughter of undocumented Filipino immigrants, led 57.02% to 42.98% or 40,998 to 30,899, according to figures released Nov. 10 by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

It was unclear how many ballots remained to be tallied in the district. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day were also accepted for up to a week.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Council District 14 for the honor of serving these past four years, and to my supporters who stood by me with unwavering dedication to ensure our communities thrived,” de León said in a statement.

“While the results of this election did not go our way, I respect the decision of the voters and our democratic process. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together — housing more people than any other district, creating new parks and playgrounds, and securing historic investments to uplift our communities that will be felt for years to come.

“I extend my congratulations to Ysabel Jurado on a well-fought campaign and wish her success in leading our district forward. I am here to be helpful and make a smooth transition with her incoming team. The future of our district is bright, and I remain committed to continuing the fight for equity, opportunity, and dignity for all Angelenos.”

With early results leaning toward her favor, Jurado declared victory on Nov. 7 and described the win as a direct result of her community’s support.

“Thank you to every person who joined this campaign, who believed in this vision, and who fought for this victory. We are moving forward together and blazing a trail for the rest of the nation,” Jurado said in a statement.

The two candidates were vying to represent a district that includes Downtown Los Angeles, Little Tokyo, the Arts District, Skid Row, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno and Northeast Los Angeles.

Leaked Recording

De León had to overcome the political damage incurred when he was heard participating in a secretly recorded 2021 conversation in which crude and racist language was used.

At his election night gathering, the councilman noted that he faced challenges after the leaked recording — and that he refused to quit, as many had called for him to do, although he apologized multiple times.

“It was too much if our district didn’t have representation, so my staff and I rolled up our sleeves and we dug in deep to deliver the services, the programs and the funding we deserve here in CD 14, and even in the face of intense, relentless Juradoscrutiny and pressure, we didn’t flinch,” de León said. “We held strong for our community.”

Two of those who were recorded, Council President Nury Martinez and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, resigned shortly after the scandal broke. Councilmember Gil Cedillo, having lost his bid for re-election, served until the end of his term.

De León was the target of protests at council meetings as well as public events, and was ostracized by his fellow councilmembers. But the protests eventually died down and he was able to continue his involvement in community affairs, including the recent unveiling of Robert Vargas’ Fernando Valenzuela mural in Boyle Heights.

His endorsers included labor unions, former Councilmember Paul Koretz and the Blue Wave Democratic Club.

At an election night party in Highland Park, Jurado said she and her team were celebrating the end of a “nearly two-year journey.” She recounted that she decided to run on the eve of her 33rd birthday because of the leaked recording.

“And as someone who has lived here my whole life, I was furious that, once again, my community had been betrayed by our leadership,” Jurado said, alluding to the pay-to-play scandal that led to former Councilmember Jose Huizar of District 14 going to jail. “And year after year, I’d seen a charlatan after a charlatan use this district as a stepping stone — my home that I care for and has cared for me. And I decided to throw my hat in the ring.”

Jurado, who will be expanding the progressive bloc on the council, also shared that she faced a lot of obstacles on the campaign trail, including homophobic and sexist behavior.

“But here’s the thing, they must have forgotten that I’m HLP (High-land Park) born and raised,” she said. “It takes a whole lot more than that to scare us out of standing up for our community. And they tried to bury us, but they didn’t know that we were seeds, and here we are unbroken, unyielding, unapologetically unyielding and present and blooming.”

During the campaign, Jurado was recorded uttering her own controversial statement — answering “F— the police” — the title of a protest song by hip-hop group N.W.A. — when asked at an Oct. 17 meet-and-greet at Cal State L.A. about her position on abolishing the police. The question came from a student who is also a de León staff member.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League demanded an apology, urged Jurado to withdraw from the race, and organized a press conference featuring relatives of fallen LAPD officers.

In a statement issued to KTLA, Jurado said, “I understand the pain that families feel after the loss of a loved one, and I have deep respect for anyone who has lost someone in the line of duty. We can honor the memories of fallen officers while also pushing for accountability and equity in policing, and real investment in our communities.

“What I’m hearing from voters is a desire for new leaders who will take a fresh approach to public safety because what we’ve been doing clearly isn’t working. That’s what we’re focused on, and we won’t be deterred by attempts to take us off course.”

In addition, she indicated that her comment was not on the level of the de León recording, calling the latter “disgraceful.”

“L.A. thrives off its diversity and the greatness thereof,” Jurado said. “[The tape] was awful. That’s not who we are, this campaign and the city of L.A.”

Little Tokyo Connections

Both candidates had supporters in Little Tokyo. Jurado attended Nikkei Progressives’ holiday party last December, but as a charitable nonprofit, NP does not endorse candidates. However, a new group called Nikkei for Democracy did support and work for Jurado.

Jurado held a campaign event in May at Azay restaurant, hosted by Stephanie Caridad of NoHo Home Alliance, Philip Hirose of Azay and The Yaki Papis, including chef Hideki Fukusumi.

A group of Filipino American activists held a fundraiser for Jurado at Far Bar, with Kelsey Iino of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees serving on the host committee.

De León continued to appear at Little Tokyo events as he had done before the scandal, including the groundbreaking for Go For Broke Plaza and First Street North Residences; the dedication of the Japanese American National Museum’s Nor-man Y. Mineta Democracy Plaza; a farewell party for former Rafu photo editor Mario Reyes at Maryknoll; and Keiro’s Keiro no Hi Festival at JANM.

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