2 Latino Activists to Challenge Bernardi

Two Latino political activists said Wednesday they will challenge Los Angeles City Councilman Ernani Bernardi in the April municipal election in the heavily Latino East San Fernando Valley 7th District.

Irene Tovar, a former chairwoman of the Hispanic Caucus of the state Democratic Party, and Jose Galvan, past president of the Valley chapter of the Mexican American Political Assn., bring to four the number of challengers to Bernardi. Three are Latino.

The 7th District was radically redrawn in 1986 to increase the chances of election of a third Latino--the first from the Valley--to the 15-member council.

The district is projected to be 69% Latino by the 1989 election. But Latinos still have a long way to go to win the seat simply on the strength of numbers, said Caltech political science professor Bruce E. Cain, who served as the council’s chief redistricting consultant. Less than one-fourth of the Latinos in the district are registered to vote.

Future Campaigns

Nonetheless, Latinos are reported to be interested in running as a way of building political support so that they will stand a better chance of winning the seat once it is vacated by the 76-year-old Bernardi.

The district is made up of Arleta, Pacoima, Sylmar and parts of Lake View Terrace, Panorama City, Sepulveda, North Hollywood, Sun Valley and Van Nuys.

Bernardi, dean of the City Council with 27 years of service, was reelected with almost monotonous regularity in his old district. In 1985, Bernardi easily defeated his two opponents with 87% of the vote. Only about a third of the old district was left in Bernardi’s new territory. But politically, his new district is similar to the old one: largely working class.

Tovar, 50, of Mission Hills, declined to discuss the issues of her campaign until she formally files for the office in January.

However, she criticized Bernardi for opposing the redistricting. “He has never really wanted to represent this district,” she said.

In response, Bernardi said Wednesday that he did not object to his new district, but opposed the political maneuvering that led to the remapping.

Tovar, in her only other try for political office, lost a 1969 campaign for the Los Angeles Community College District board. She works as a consultant to a community clinic in East Los Angeles.

Galvan, 45, of Sylmar has run unsuccessfully for a number of political offices, most recently finishing last in a field of nine in June’s Los Angeles County 5th District supervisorial primary.

“I just think you need somebody young, who is going to be more aggressive in dealing with the issues,” Galvan said. In a reference to Bernardi, he added, “I don’t think at his age he has the energy to be the kind of representative that the district needs.”

Bernardi, President Reagan’s junior by eight months, said he attends more meetings than most of his younger council colleagues. “I still play 18 holes of golf, and I carry my own bags,” he added.

Lyle E. Hall, a 47-year-old former president of United Firefighters union, and David Briones, a 30-year-old former student body president at San Fernando High School, also have announced their intentions to run for Bernardi’s seat.