Nazarian takes early lead in race for open LA city council seat in the San Fernando Valley

Former California Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian took a wide lead over opponent Jillian Burgos in early results in the race for Los Angeles City Council District 2.

As of late Tuesday night, Nazarian had about 58% of the vote to Burgos' 42%. They were the top vote-getters in a crowded primary election for an open seat in this San Fernando Valley district covering Toluca Lake, North Hollywood, and Van Nuys.

Frontrunner puts race in national context

As his strong early results started to trickle in, Nazarian quickly pivoted to discussing how he planned to use this office to resist a potential second Trump presidency.

"You better believe that Los Angeles is going to be the lead to make sure that Trump does not continue doing what he did four years ago," Nazarian told his supporters at an election night watch party in Sun Valley.

A progressive underdog

Burgos, an optician who has served on the North Hollywood Neighborhood Council, waged a progressive campaign in which she said she would increase outreach to unhoused residents and oppose large pay raises for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Unlike Burgos, Nazarian expressed support for a city policy banning homeless encampments near schools and parks. He also raised far more money than her, and won endorsements from Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass.

At her election night campaign event, Burgos acknowledged that she was an underdog. If she won, she said, she'd be only the second renter to sit on the 15-member city council.

"I have the lived-in experience," Burgos said. "I know what it is to have to work multiple jobs, live with multiple people just in order to survive. And we know that we have to have diversity on our council."

Voters want more done on homelessness

For many voters in this district, homelessness was a top issue. Just after he finished voting, Dani Torres said he chose Burgos because he liked that she's more of a newcomer to politics. He hoped she would push for more accountability on homelessness spending.

"All I see is more homelessness," Torres said. "I still see friends of mine who are like a paycheck away from becoming homeless. I'm almost homeless myself."

At a polling place at North Hollywood Recreation Center, so many voters turned out that poll workers ran out of "I Voted" stickers. That was a disappointment to Daniella Sherman, who wanted a sticker after casting her first vote in a presidential race since becoming a citizen.

Sherman said she picked Nazarian in the council race, hoping he would do more to remove encampments.

"I feel bad for the people that they are homeless," Sherman said. "But it's not my fault that I'm going to be attacked at night, or that I have to live with this. I'm paying a lot of rent."

Why this seat was up for grabs

This council district seat has been held for more than 14 years by Paul Krekorian, who couldn't run again because he is termed out.

Before achieving elected office, Nazarian served as Krekorian's chief of staff. Both are prominent Armenian American politicians in a district that has the city's largest number of voters with Armenian heritage.