FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2007
 
Contact: Press Office

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa endorsed Hillary Clinton today, and was named a Chair of Clinton’s national campaign.

“As a Mayor and former Assembly Speaker, I know that experience counts,” Villaraigosa said. “Hillary Clinton is the only candidate with the ability to hit the ground running on her first day in the White House. Her depth and breadth of experience is unmatched, and I’m confident she will be the kind of partner our cities and towns need from the federal government.”

“I admire Mayor Villaraigosa’s ability to craft bipartisan solutions and get results,” Clinton said. “I’m honored he will help lead our national campaign, reaching out to a broad range of voters across the country to join our effort to change America.”

Villaraigosa and Clinton announced the endorsement after a tour of the preschool at UCLA’s Krieger Center, where Clinton discussed her plan to provide pre-K access to all American children, including the more than 90% of California 4-year-olds who are not enrolled in a state pre-K program. Both Mayor Villaraigosa and Senator Clinton believe that a quality education begins with access to preschool and ensuring that students are educated by highly-trained teachers. They share the belief that every four-year old – not just those whose parents can afford it – should have the same opportunity to fulfill their full potential.

Villaraigosa was elected Mayor in 2005, and immediately set about tackling the toughest challenges facing Los Angeles. Since assuming office, he has championed an education reform plan that puts students first, ensures greater accountability in the schools, and gives principals, teachers, and parents more control over their campuses. He has accelerated the city’s use of renewable energy to 35% by 2020, secured funding for 1,000 new police officers, and deployed a comprehensive strategy to combat gang violence. Villaraigosa has also focused on quality of life issues, increasing funding for affordable housing, implementing common sense strategies to reduce traffic gridlock and funding basic city services at historic highs.

Long recognized as a rising star, Villaraigosa was named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News & World Report, and has been featured on the cover of Newsweek and named one of the 25 most influential Latinos by Time Magazine. He is the first Latino to serve as Mayor of Los Angeles since 1872.

Villaraigosa previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, passing legislation to expand children’s healthcare, ban assault weapons and create the largest network of urban neighborhood parks in the country.