Women May Make History in L.A. County Election

Hillary Clinton may not be the only woman making gender history in today's election.

It's possible that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, once the all-male home of the "five little kings," could end up with a female majority for the first time.

Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Pedro, has a significant edge in name recognition, high-profile endorsements and campaign funding in the race for supervisor of Los Angeles County's 4th District going into today's primary against former Manhattan Beach City Councilman Steve Napolitano and Whittier School District Board member Ralph Pacheco.

Hahn has raised nearly $1.4 million for her campaign, according to the latest filings, compared with Napolitano's nearly $1.1 million, $790,000 of which was self-funded. No filing for Pacheco was posted on the registrar- recorder's website.

Women already on the board are Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis. If Hahn wins outright today, or is victorious in a November runoff, that would make three women on the five-member board.

The board could even end up with four of the five members being women.

Kathryn Barger, chief of staff to termed-out Supervisor Michael Antonovich, is running to succeed her boss. Besides his support, Barger also has strong backing from unions representing sheriff's deputies and county firefighters, as well as the Service Employees International Union Local 721, which represents most county employees.

But Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch Englander has a narrow edge in fundraising, with $1.3 million to Barger's roughly $1.2 million, based on the latest available filings.

A victory by Hahn would not only be significant for women, it would also return the Hahn name to the board. Her late father, Kenneth Hahn, was a board member for 40 years. The County Hall of Administration, where the board meets, is named for him.