Earlier today, Councilmember Christine Parra announced she is no longer seeking re-election to the Santa Monica City Council in a statement released to the press (available in its entirety at the Daily Press.) Parra cited the toll her mother’s ongoing battle with cancer has taken on her family as the reason. Parra joins Councilmember Gleam Davis as an incumbent not seeking re-election.
Parra, who weeks ago announced she would be seeking re-election with the two Change Slate incumbents she won with four years ago, also announced today that Mayor Phil Brock and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre would be joined by two more candidates as part of a new slate.
“Shortly a new Pro-Safety “Change Slate” consisting of Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre and two amazing Santa Monicans will be announced and I wholeheartedly support them and hope that they can earn your trust and support as well,” Parra wrote.
In other election news, a new major candidate joined the race earlier this week when journalist and community activist John C. Smith “pulled papers” to gather signatures to get on the November ballot. Smith, who won an Emmy for his camera editing work on the film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, is a board member of the Wilmont-Montana Neighborhood Coalition and a Recreation and Parks Commissioner for the city.
