Councilmember Janice Hahn announces run for Congress
By Danny J. Bakewell Jr.
Special Contributing Editor
Just 24 hours after Congresswoman Jane Harmon announced she was retiring, Councilwoman Janice Hahn announced she was running to represent the 36th Congressional District and took time out to talk to the Los Angeles Sentinel about why she wants to go to Washington and what she is determined to bring back to Los Angeles.
The call came early Monday morning from long time friend and Congresswoman, Jane Harman letting her know that she will be stepping down from her seat in Congress to serve as President and CEO at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Congresswoman has been a strong voice for improving our nation’s security and has worked hard for the people of her district (36th District).
Councilwoman Janice Hahn has been a Los Angeles City Councilwoman for 10 years representing one of the most economically and socially diverse districts in all of Los Angeles. With San Pedro on the South the 10th District has one of the biggest economic engines in all of the city, while Watts on the north end of the 10th District has continued to struggle to overcome some of the slowest job growth and least amount of economic resources in the city. Over the years Janice Hahn has been able to bridge these two worlds like few other politicians have. She is the daughter of long time Supervisor and community Icon Kenneth Hahn who was a strong advocate for racial harmony and probably best known for being the only politician who greeted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his visit to Los Angeles after the Watts Riots.
When asked why she is running for congress, Hahn joyfully replied, ” I am running for Congress because this is a great opportunity for me to bring my 10 years of local political experience to Washington D.C. to help resolve so many of the issues which challenge our city and our nation at this time.” Hahn also stated “with the resignation of Congresswoman Jane Harmon, I am running for an open seat, which Jane encouraged me to run for”. Harmon and Hahn are long time friends and it has been reported that Hahn was even a guest of Harmon’s at the President’s State of the Union address last week in Washington. While Harmon has not officially endorsed anyone at this point, most insiders believe it is only a matter of time before the congresswoman puts her name and substantial political support behind Janice Hahn for Congress.
Hahn says bringing jobs to the Los Angeles local economy will be her main focus when and if she is elected to Congress. The Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport are the two of the biggest employers and revenue generators in all of Los Angeles and they are both part of the 36th Congressional District, which Hahn is running for. ” I have overseen both of these operations as a member of the Los Angeles City Council and these two economic engines will be a large part of my focus if I am elected. Through the port and the airport, we can bring clean green jobs and new businesses to Los Angeles which is something our communities so desperately need,” stated Hahn.
Hahn also talked about the fact that she has a long history of working with several of the African American communities current Congresswomen who’s districts all boarder that of Hahn’s council district and boarder this congressional district. “I know Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Laura Richardson and Congresswoman Karen Bass very well. I consider them friends and I have worked with each of them individually and collectively on important community and political issues like reducing gang violence and bringing jobs to the community for our young people. If we don’t provide our young people decent jobs and opportunities what are we providing them?”
Hahn is also excited about the possibility of working with President Barack Obama. “Like millions of others who were in attendance in Washington D.C. for the Presidents Inauguration, I couldn’t help but be excited and motivated about the promise of this nation. I also was inspired by the President’s State of the Union address last week. When the President was speaking about rebuilding our education system, providing clean energy and building new infrastructure I said to myself that is Los Angeles, that is our focus as well” and that is why she is excited about the possibility of going to Congress.
With Congresswoman Jane Harmon stepping down in early March there is not a lot of time to get a campaign up and running, and the with all of the wrangling going on in Washington between the Democrats and Republicans, President Obama certainly will be looking to insure that this critical seat remains democratic. Janice Hahn believes she has the experience, vision and support needed to keep the seat democratic and the support to make the seat hers.
