Klink gives him a 6. Caruso has "the ability to write himself a big check" and he's an "accomplished businessman who has served on city commissions." He can fix the budget and deal with unions. Critics will do heavy research into his career: "Business isn't always clean and neat."
Regalado gives him a 6. He says Caruso's "a contender" who has "pretty broad name recognition." He may have problems working with the City Council on the budget: "He's all about the bottom line. Any super-rich developer will have a tough time with the council." Critics will say Caruso prefers a top-down management style and can't "run the city by edict."
Wendy Greuel
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Riordan gives him a 9. "He's wealthy, so he can put money into the campaign. He's very brilliant and gregarious." He can fix the budget: "If he can reach the public, then the unions will know he's someone they'll have to deal with."
South gives him a 3. "The demographics [in L.A.] make it very difficult for someone who's identified as a Republican." Remember that "Riordan hit a window that's just not there for Caruso" — the post-riot desire for dramatic change. He'll have trouble on budgets: "It's not clear to me that a Republican has the ability to deal with the public unions." Critics will probe his developer background, "a huge liability."
Eric Garcetti was elected to the City Council in 2001 and became its president in 2006. A committed environmentalist who is widely liked, Garcetti is the son of former District Attorney Gil Garcetti and was a Rhodes scholar. He has acquired significant baggage as City Council president. The L.A. Times outed him for failing to make public a report revealing that a 2009 solar-energy plan would cost taxpayers $2 billion more than claimed. He shares with Perry and Greuel a track record of chronic council missteps, such as allowing a proliferation of digital and illegal billboards and medical marijuana shops. He pushed through the 2010 vote to close all 73 city libraries twice weekly. A Navy reservist, he lives in Echo Park with his wife. He is of Italian and Mexican descent, and speaks Spanish. There's talk that if U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman retires, Garcetti may run for his spot.
Garcetti is tied for fourth in the field of eight.
Gilliam gives him a 7. He is "positively regarded by most people," but "I don't know if he has the fire in the belly for a dogfight" like the mayoral race. He has the skills to fix the budget and deal with unions, but critics will target "the weakness of his record: no real, major accomplishments." He may have problems raising money in a field of candidates also looking to the labor union/developer axis for cash.
Kaye gives him a 1. "He's responsible for the state of city government — he's the City Council president." He can't handle budgetary problems or the unions: "Eric hasn't done it during his many years on the council." Critics will target his handling of L.A.'s economic crisis. Garcetti is "likable and comes across dripping with sincerity." But like Villaraigosa, "He'll continue the coalition of contractors and developers that control City Hall."
Klink gives him a 7. He describes Garcetti as "one of the smartest people to run for 2013." Also, "He's very charismatic." He will raise money from trial lawyers, labor unions, environmentalists and developers.
Regalado gives him a 6. Garcetti has "name recognition and is seen as smart." Yet, "Nobody knows how well he'll run in all parts of the city." Critics may call him "indecisive." He'll raise funds from environmentalists, developers and labor unions.
Riordan gives him a 3. "The public wants a strong mayor, and he will not be seen as a strong leader." He can't handle the budget: "He's too much in bed with the unions." He says Garcetti must avoid repeating Villaraigosa's "narcissism of having to look good rather than getting things done."
South gives him a 6. "He's a very engaging, very, very smart guy." But critics will target his record. "He's had to make a lot of decisions as [council] president — and that's extra baggage." He's a "good fundraiser," but developers and unions may give to his rivals as well.
Wendy Greuel is the self-described "pothole queen" who succeeded the better-known Laura Chick as city controller. She graduated from UCLA and worked for Mayor Tom Bradley and the Clinton administration. In 1997, she joined DreamWorks' government and community affairs office. She was elected to the City Council in 2002 from the San Fernando Valley. The affable Greuel has made few enemies, but she's a close ally of Villaraigosa's. A debate continues over whether she is as tough as Chick: During the 2010 DWP debacle, when the city utility refused to transfer $73 million to plug a hole in the city budget, comments by Greuel and Villaraigosa helped fuel national coverage of L.A. reeling out of control. Married with a son, Greuel wants to be L.A.'s first woman mayor.
Greuel is second in the field of eight.
Gilliam gives her a 6: "She's well-liked and has a good reputation." But, "I just don't know if she has enough name recognition to be a player." If Yaroslavsky runs, "he has a lot of her territory" in the Valley. Critics will say she's "not really made a big enough mark."
