The Blue Wave Democratic Club announced the endorsements of Mayor Phil Brock, City Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Rent Control Board Chair Ericka Lesley, and first-time candidate Vivian Roknian over the weekend.
“They are all aligned with Democratic Values, and we can’t wait to help them get elected,” reads a statement from the club.
Blue Wave is the third Democratic Club to endorse in this year’s city council election. Both the Westside Young Democrats (Young Dems) and the Santa Monica Democratic Club (Dem Club) went in a different direction and endorsed the “United Democratic Slate” of Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell, and Natalya Zernitskaya.
The Blue Wave Democratic Club is considered more moderate (or conservative, depending on your point of view) than the Young Dems or the Dem Club, especially around the issue of law enforcement. So it should be little surprise that the club’s endorsements mirror those of the local police and firefighters unions.
This also marks the third major endorsement of this election where three of the four members of the “Safer Santa Monica” slate and Lesley earn the endorsement. The “safer” slate also includes John Putnam.
The president of the Blue Wave Democratic Club is Greg Morena, a former member of the City Council, a current Rec. and Parks Commissioner and owner of the Albright, Rusty’s Surf Shack, and a handful of other restaurants. Morena was appointed to the Rec. and Parks Commission on July 7 of this year on a unanimous vote.
The Blue Wave Democratic Club did not endorse in the 2022 election and is seeking recommendations for the West Hollywood Election. In the Los Angeles City Council race this year it has endorsed Ethan Weaver (who lost in the spring primary), Adrin Nazarian seeking the seat of retiring Councilmember Paul Krekorian, and incumbent Councilmember Kevin de Leon who faces a tough re-election after being caught making racist statements about then Councilmember Mike Bonin’s son with a handful of former colleagues who have since been removed from power.
