Race colors Pasadena election
PASADENA - Latino voters now hold the keys to a City Council district that has traditionally represented blacks. It's a point not lost on the candidates for the seat, incumbent Jacque Robinson and challenger James Smith, both of whom are black. Blacks still account for the majority of voters in District 1, but Latino registration has surged and now trails black registered voters by less than 10 percentage points, officials said. "The Latino vote is probably the swing vote," Smith said. "There is such a large percentage of Latino voters that have showed up in the past and will show up in this race, that we would be foolish not to court Latino votes." And Smith hasn't been shy about courting Latino political heavies. In recent weeks he's met with Pasadena Unified School District board member Ramon Miramontes and Pasadena City College Trustee Berlinda Brown in search of support. "I talk to Ramon Miramontes for the same reason I speak to Berlinda Brown or (PUSD board member) Scott Phelps," Smith said. "They are elected leaders in District 1." While Robinson plans a broad-based approach "to reach out to all voters whether they are Latino or not," District 5 Councilman Victor Gordo jumped on the bandwagon early. He endorsed Robinson in December. Gordo, who is Latino, also supported the incumbent and fellow labor activist in her 2007 election bid. In a battle between two black candidates that could hinge on the predilections of Latino voters, Pasadena NAACP President Joe Brown remains uncomfortable with Smith's lack of experience and track record.
"Smith is a neophyte and has not joined any organizations in Northwest Pasadena," Brown said. "He has no track record on how he would vote on issues and how he would perform under pressure." Absent a proven track record, Smith could become sort of a wild card on City Council, whose connections to leaders of other ethnic groups could compromise the position of black Pasadenans, Brown said. "If he's not a member of any organizations in the Northwest, he must be beholden to someone," he added. "Mr. Smith, who is African-American and not associated with any African- American organizations, I am interested to know where he stands." The implied division between the desires of black residents and voters and their Latino counterparts baffles Smith. "They want the same things we want: good schools, safe neighborhoods, affordable homes and jobs," Smith said. "Sometime the Latino population is looked at as something foreign." District 1 encompasses most of Northwest Pasadena, reaching into the Arroyo Seco and includes the Rose Bowl. Poverty, substandard housing, unemployment and poor schools plague the area, something both Smith and Robinson point to in their respective platforms. But those discussions could get lost in conflict over race, according to Miramontes. "This is the old guard they are still set in the old paradigm that is stuck on race and not issues," Miramontes said. "For African-Americans that have worked so hard for the vote, here they are eating their young." Smith said the fears expressed by black leaders about his connections are unwarranted. "No matter what happens or who wins, on March 9, a black person will represent District 1," he said. So far, Smith trails in money and despite a long conversation with Miramontes, he lags behind Robinson in endorsements from prominent Hispanics. "I'm on standby and I am waiting to see what his campaign is about," Miramontes said about the prospect of endorsing Smith. "It's one thing to support a platform and its another thing to see whether the campaign has legs." However, Miramontes appreciated Smith reaching out to him for support. "He is smart to court elected officials in District 1 and to court Latino voters since the demographics are changing," Miramontes said. Robinson will lean heavily on her familiarity with voters to earn a second term. "Being an incumbent I am going to continue doing the same thing I have done the last four years, which is being visible," she said. "I think have down an effective job over the last four years." And the first salvo in the race was fired Friday. After Robinson used Mayor Bill Bogaard to endorse her on a robo-call, Smith organized a protest in front of City Hall.