Five Hopefuls Say They Will Run in Pasadena’s 2017 Elections

 

Labor Day traditionally marks the start of the final two-month dash to Election Day in presidential politics. In Pasadena, the weeks leading up to Labor Day saw five local candidates — four of whom are incumbents — announce their intentions to run for the Pasadena Unified School District’s Board of Education or Pasadena’s City Council in 2017.

Yet another well-known former Councilmember is raising funds for the 2019 Mayor’s race.

The seats up for election on March 7, 2017 are City Council Districts 3, 5 and 7 and Pasadena Unified District 1, 3, 5 and 7.

Although the official nomination period runs from November 14 through December 9 and no candidate can officially be put on the ballot before then, some potential candidates have already started campaign activities and are collecting campaign funds.

Officially, those who have publicly announced their intentions to run for the Board of Education so far are Adrienne Mullen, School Board District 3, and Scott Phelps, for the Board’s District 7

In the Pasadena City Council race, the first campaign announcement came August 24 when Pasadena lawyer Phil Hosp said he will run City Council District 7. Shortly thereafter, District 7 incumbent Councilmember Andy Wilson announced he will run to retain the seat.

Although he has not made a formal announcement, District 3 Councilmember John Kennedy told Pasadena Now he plans to run for re-election.

“It’s been a wonderful three and a half years serving the residents of District 3 and of Pasadena, and I’m looking forward to building on the progress,” Kennedy said.

Incumbent District 5 Councilmember Victor Gordo has not said if he plans for re-election and did not respond to requests for comment over the Labor Day holiday.

Former Councilmember Jacque Robinson, who served as District 1’s representative from 2007-2014 and lost a bid for Mayor in 2015, has submitted paperwork indicating she is collecting funds to run for Mayor again in 2019. According to official city records, she currently has raised about $15,500 toward her campaign and has spent $1,750.

Of the five potential candidates who have so far thrown their hats into the ring, four are incumbents.

Kennedy, who holds District 3’s seat, was elected in 2014. Kennedy is the current chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee.

Official city records show that Kennedy currently has raised about $13,400 toward his 2017 campaign but has spent just $300 thus far.

Wilson, who occupies the District 7 seat, was appointed by the City Council in 2015 to fill the seat left vacant by the election of Mayor Terry Tornek. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of Rexter, a venture-backed software start-up. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of Innovate Pasadena, an organization dedicated to advancing technology based companies in Pasadena.

Pitted against Wilson for District 7’s seat is newcomer Hosp, who said he believes Pasadena’s City Hall doesn’t listen to residents and instead favors those with the loudest voices and deepest pockets. Hosp said he is a military veteran who served two tours in Iraq, and that he has been a Pasadena resident for twenty years.

Both candidates running for seats on the Pasadena Unified’s Board of Education are incumbents.

Adrienne Mullen, District 3’s education representative, has been an educator for over 28 years working in both private and public schools at the high school level and in two-year and four-year educational institutions.

“I intend to run a campaign that is based on educational issues and puts student success first.” Mullen said in a statement. “I believe the district is on the right pathway with long-term planning to move it forward.”

Phelps, who is seeking re-election for the school board of District 7, has been endorsed by Mayor Terry Tornek and current City Councilmember Tyron Hampton and has served on Pasadena Unified’s Board of Education for eleven years and has dedicated the last 27 years of his career to education.

“I am running to continue bringing my expertise in classroom education to Board decision-making, to ensure the reforms being implemented by the current administration are effective and to make sure that resources are used efficiently for student needs,” said Phelps in an earlier interview.