Ysabel Jurado declares victory in race for Council District 14
Ysabel Jurado declared victory Thursday night in the race for LA City Council District 14, after she took an early lead over incumbent Kevin de León.
"After knocking over 83k doors, mobilizing over 1k volunteers, sending over 8k postcards and registering hundreds of constituents to vote —We won. The little campaign that could overcame corruption, redbaiting, misogyny and racial division. This victory belongs to the señoras and the titas who welcomed us into their homes and distributed flyers at their church groups, to the young people who hosted meet and greets at their college campuses, to the single mothers who told their stories and shared their struggles, to the organizers and the tenants who fought tirelessly for their right to stay in their neighborhoods. Together, we cut through the political theater and built a movement focused on the real issues—affordable housing, our youth and our elders, real public safety, the homelessness crisis, and defending our small businesses," Juardo said in a statement.
Her victory in district 14, which includes downtown L.A., Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno and Northeast L.A., comes less than a month after she found herself in the middle of a scandal after audio captured her saying "F*** the police."
During a meeting at Cal State LA on Oct. 17 , Jurado was asked about her current stance on police and what she thought about spending discretionary funds on overtime for officers. She responded by saying "What's the rap verse? F- the police , that's how I see 'em."
Her comment sparked outrage, with people holding a rally, urging her to step down from the race. But Juardo remained in the race. She told FOX 11's Susan Hirasuna that in the days following the release of the audio, she had gone door to door to talk to constituents and claimed she found plenty of support.
She was asked multiple times if she regretted using the rap lyric.
Jurado confessed her father was disappointed in her, but she repeated her vision for public safety that would have the police focus on serious crimes and gang intervention.
"The safest cities invest in public schools, education, youth development, recreation and parks and libraries. You know, we've got to focus on funding those. We can't keep funding a budget that keeps prioritizing one department at the cost of all of these. I mean, if we look in this neighborhood, itself. Our Boyle Heights library has been closed even before the pandemic for four years, despite outcries from community members that this is a place that makes them safe," Jurado explained.
She is endorsed by three current council members who recently voted against pay raises for the LAPD.
In 2022, her opponent, Kevin de León , was also involved in a scandal involving a leaked racist audio recording .
Jurado said she entered this race to "change the history of corruption" at City Hall - citing the controversies surrounding former Councilman José Huizar (convicted and now imprisoned for accepting bribes from developers and cheating on his taxes) and de León.
"This district has been used and abused, and we have total mistrust," Jurado stated. "People are asking for honest, accountable, responsive City Council members, and that's the bare minimum."
On other matters, Jurado - a lifelong resident of Highland Park, first-time candidate and single mother to a 14-year-old daughter - said she would concentrate on ensuring residents receive their fair share of city services; and work to reduce homelessness, with a focus on Skid Row, the epicenter of the crisis.
She also emphasized working with homeless service providers, community organizations and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the 2nd District, which encompasses Skid Row and CD14 neighborhoods.
In addition, Jurado has expressed concern over the city's anti-camping law and sweeps, noting that these policies can make it more challenging to place unhoused residents in interim or permanent housing.
She said she would focus on public safety through a multi-layered approach; has discussed concerns regarding street lighting and maintenance; and how police officers are overburdened with calls for service that could be handled by unarmed response teams.
