Cover Stories Hall Wins
December 11, 2014
By Kenneth D. Miller
Assistant Managing Editor
Compton City Councilman and termed out Assembly member Isadore Hall III campaigned for the 35th Senate District Seat as if it was the most important election in his life.
It all paid off for him on Tuesday Dec. 9 in the Special Election for the 35th District State Senate Seat of retired Roderick Wright as he easily earned more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff.
With 206 of 282 precincts reporting, Hall was leading with 53.1 percent of the vote in the open primary.
Republican James Spencer, 60, of Inglewood was second with 27.5 percent of the vote. Democrat Louis Dominguez, 67, a retired teacher from San Pedro, was third with 12.8 percent, while Harbor
Planning Commissioner Hector Serrano, 26, of Wilmington had 6.6 percent. Hall’s victory celebration at the Doubletree Hotel in Carson was jammed with supporters who anticipated such an outcome.
Among the many who joined the celebration was the who’s who of local politics, included among them were Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Hawthorne Mayor Chris Brown,
former Congresswoman Diane Watson, former State Senator Kevin Murray, Assembly members Reginald Jones Sawyer, Sebastian Ridley Thomas and Autumn Burke and former senator Roderick Wright
whom Hall replaced.
“I think at the end of the day when you look at a community that has been rippled with violence, economic disparity, unemployment, foreclosures the only way that you are go- ing to solve those problems is if
someone is at the table who are going bring folks collectively at the table,” Hall told the Sentinel.
He said; “One person can’t do it. It takes an entire village and community to bring cure to society issues that plague our community.”
Murray said the moment of Hall’s election is a testament of how he brings people together.
“He has coalesced a coalition of people which is frankly hard to put together. A bunch of people form different areas, different races and different genders all of which supported his candidacy. This is very
unique,” explained Murray. he becomes the 12th member of the California Legislative Black Caucus which is the most they’ve ever had. So, I think that’s a testament to his leadership and others leadership in the
caucus in Sacramento.”
The 35th District, which is heavily Latino and Democratic, includes Westchester, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale, Carson, Compton, half of Torrance and a sliver of Long Beach. Hall was just termed
out from his seat in the 64th Assembly District, which overlaps large portions of the 35th Senate District.
Jones-Sawyer, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, called Hall a champion.
“Isadore Hall has been the champion of a lot of causes and he’s put in the time and put in the work and he will be an unbelievable asset to the California State Senate.”
Although he was clearly the leading candidate among the four in the race, Hall left little to chance outspending his competition by a wide margin, canvasing the district to meet constituents and
calling voters until the polls closed.
The 42-year old Hall began his career as a member of the Compton School Board and served as its president before earning a seat on the Compton City Council and most recently the 64th District Assembly,
for which he was termed out.
been instrumental in ushering in a new generation of public servants from Compton Mayor Aja Brown to Hawthorne Mayor Chris Brown and his replacement in the Assembly, Mike Gipson.
Newly minted Assembly member Burke is anxious to get to work with Hall in Sacramento.
“I’m so proud of what he’s accomplished so far and so looking forward to working with him. It also brings another member to the Black Caucus and it’s an important step for the district. This is
an incredible step for leadership in the state of California.” The vacancy caused by the resignation of Wright, who was convicted of voter fraud for living outside the district.
Hall served in the Assembly from 2004 through last month.
The 35th Senate District covers the communities of Carson, Compton, West Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Pedro,
Torrance, West Carson, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.