State rep. looking to replace Sheila Kuehl in 2022
By Sam Catanzaro
With incumbent Supervisor Sheila Kuehl signaling she won’t run for re-election, former Santa Monica Mayor and Assemblymember Richard Bloom has announced he will run for County Supervisor.
Last week State legislator Richard Bloom announced he will run to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl who has decided she will not seek a third term. Bloom is a former Santa Monica Mayor and longtime resident of the Third Supervisorial District.
“I am running for L.A. County Supervisor because I want to build on Supervisor Kuehl’s progressive legacy and tackle the many critical issues that we face. I will fight for humane solutions to our housing and homelessness crisis. Along with investment in affordable housing, that will mean doubling down on improving our public health, mental health, and justice systems. It also means committing to equitable economic recovery and growth as we strive not to return to ‘business as usual’ but to create a more just LA County with opportunity for all,” Bloom said.
Supervisor Kuehl–who was the first openly gay or lesbian person to be elected to the state legislature before the Board of Supervisors–will remain in office representing the Third District until the end of 2022.
“I’m very proud of my work over the last six years at the County,” Kuehl, a former actress, said. “I’ve been working non-stop since I was 7 years old and as I approach my 80th birthday, I’d like to see what it’s like not to work, and follow all the dreams on my bucket list.”
Kuehl, when reached for comment, said she has not endorsed Bloom or anyone else at this point.
Bloom was elected to represent Assembly District 50, which includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Malibu, Agoura Hills and dozens of westside neighborhoods within the County’s Third District, in 2012.
“In the Assembly, he has made a name for himself as a strong environmental leader, a stalwart advocate for affordable housing, renter protections, and services that address the root causes of homelessness,” his campaign said. “Bloom has distinguished himself as a progressive who understands the importance of economic development – skills that will be critical in guiding the County forward in the aftermath of the pandemic. As Mayor, he helped guide Santa Monica past the Great Recession, dramatically increasing jobs while helping to grow “Silicon Beach”, hospitality/tourism and the entertainment industry in a way that maximized the benefits for all.”,
Before his election to the State Assembly, Bloom served for more than a decade on the Santa Monica City Council and as the city’s Mayor.
For nearly 30 years, Bloom practiced family law and subsequently and consecutively served as Executive Director of two non-profits, Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center and PATH, a homeless services and housing agency.
