Culver City will soon be represented by two members of the Ridley–Thomas family. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas cruised to victory on Dec. 3 in a special election for the 54th Assembly District that featured the son of a well-known Los Angeles political figure and a former mayor of Culver City.
Ridley-Thomas, 26, whose father Mark represents Culver City on the County Board of Supervisors, scored an overwhelming victory with 60 percent of the vote with 11,182 ballots in his favor.
“I could not have won this election without you. Your overwhelming support throughout our campaign has been humbling,” the assemblyman-elect told his supporters at his election headquarters after the race. “Because of your support, hard work and contributions, the voters heard my positive message and responded with their votes.”
Ridley-Thomas is also the second member of his family to win an Assembly seat representing Culver City. His father spent six years in the legislature, two as a state senator and four as an assemblyman.
Christopher Armenta, 49, who served as Culver City’s city clerk before winning a seat on the City Council in 2008, finished second with nearly 36 percent of all ballots cast with, accounting for 6,706 votes.
Real estate broker John Jake, 47, came in third with 744 votes.
Neither Armenta nor Jake were able to match the level of high–profile endorsements or the campaign donations that Ridley-Thomas amassed since he announced his campaign earlier. While Jake relied on trying to make himself known to voters through social media and campaign events, Armenta chose to tout his experience as a government auditor and accountant.
He also ran what many considered an attack added against Ridley-Thomas that alleged that his father had exerted undue influence in clearing the field in order to get his son elected, had manipulated the political process to have the election on a date hat was in the middle of Hanukah and implied that the hundreds of thousands of dollars that his rival received were from special interests.
Ridley-Thomas accepted campaign contributions from unions, large corporations and wealthy individuals.
Armenta won the endorsement of the Democratic Clubbut lost some Culver City voters like his former council colleague Scott Malsin because of the campaign mailer.
In a letter sent to Ridley- Thomas’ campaign Malsin said he had “enthusiastically” agreed to back Armenta when he initially announced his run for the Assembly.
“However, having seen a recent campaign mailer attacking his opponent, I am withdrawing my support,” Malsin wrote after seeing the mailer. “I never engaged in personal attacks, never condoned negative campaigning on my behalf and have always taken responsibility for any material released on my behalf.”
In the end, his name recognition, money and message propelled the younger Ridley- Thomas to victory.
“This wasn’t simply my campaign. This was our campaign. We were all in this effort together,” he said. “Our campaign was about having a new vision. Our campaign was about electing a new generation of leadership. Our campaign was about making a new commitment to the people of the 54th Assembly District.”
The 54th Assembly District encompasses Culver City, Mar Vista, Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park and Westwood, among other communities. One of the most diverse districts in the state, it has 446,445 residents, with a population that is 30 percent Latino, 29 percent Caucasian, 25 percent African- American and 12 percent Asian.
The special election was held due to former Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell (D- Culver City) moving to the state Senate. She now occupies the seat held by Curren Price, who is now on the Los Angeles City Council.