PERSON: Antonio Villaraigosa

Mayor

Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa (born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr.; January 23, 1953) is an American politician who served as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles, California (2005–13). Prior to being elected Mayor, he was a member of the California State Assembly (1994-2000), the Democratic leader of the Assembly (1996–98), and the Speaker of the California State Assembly (1998-2000). After being termed out of the State Assembly, he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council (2003) and served until he was elected Mayor (2005).

Villaraigosa is a member of the Democratic Party, and was a national co-chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, a member of President Barack Obama’s Transition Economic Advisory Board, and Chairman of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in September 2012.

He ran for Mayor in 2001 against Los Angeles City Attorney James Hahn, but lost in the second round of voting. He ran again in 2005 in a rematch against Hahn and won. During his tenure as Mayor, he gained national attention for his work and was featured in Time’s story on the country’s 25 most influential Latinos. He was the third Mexican American to have served as Mayor of Los Angeles, and the first in over 130 years. He was term limited and could not run for re-election in 2013. He continues to be actively engaged in education, civic engagement, water, immigration, transportation, and economic development issues. He speaks nationally and throughout California on these issues.

— Wikipedia