Laura Richardson Surges Ahead with Powerful Endorsement by ILWU Local 13

ILWU’s Influential Endorsement Joins Large Coalition of Labor Organizations Supporting Richardson in SD 35 Race

SAN PEDRO, CA –  ILWU Local 13, which represents dockworkers in one of the world’s largest port complexes and is responsible for moving goods throughout the country, endorsed Laura Richardson for State Senate – helping Laura secure a commanding lead and reinforcing her support from organizations representing working families. ILWU represents over 9,000 union members and has a large presence in the Harbor communities of San Pedro and Wilmington, the largest area in the newly drawn 35th Senate District.  

“The International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's (ILWU), Local 13 is proud to endorse Laura Richardson for State Senate. Laura has shown a deep commitment to the well-being of working families and we particularly appreciate her steadfast dedication to workers and jobs over automation and offshore profits, a stance that aligns with our union's values and priorities," said ILWU Local 13 President Gary Herrera. "Laura understands the challenges faced by working families and has a proven track record of advocating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and strong labor protections. We believe she will be a powerful voice for us in the State Senate, the Harbor community, and we wholeheartedly support Laura Richardson's candidacy."

“I am truly honored to have the support of ILWU Local 13, which not only has the largest presence in the 35th District but is a critical force in creating local jobs and protecting working families, " said Laura Richardson. “I was raised in a union household as my mother was an active 20+ years Teamster’s member and now a 20+ year retiree. I know firsthand that organized labor is the cornerstone of modern democracy and I am proud of my track record in the State Assembly and in Congress for championing organized labor and my commitment to uplifting the voices of working families. Labor unions are essential for creating a society that works for us all and I am proud to have the support of ILWU Local 13.” 

Richardson’s announcement compliments her growing list of endorsers that includes:

Lula Davis-Holmes, Mayor, City of Carson

Emma Sharif, Mayor, City of Compton

Barry Waite, Mayor, City of Lomita

Jawane Hilton, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Carson

Angie Reyes-English, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Hawthorne

Cedric Hicks, Councilmember, City of Carson

Lillie Darden, Councilmember, City of Compton

Deidra Duhart, Councilmember, City of Compton

Jonathan Bowers, Councilmember, City of Compton

Wanda Love, Councilmember City of Gardena

Paulette Francis, Councilmember, City of Gardena

Dr. Khaleah Bradshaw, Clerk City, City of Carson

Barbara Calhoun, President, Compton Community College District Board of Trustees

Satra Zurita, Board Member, Compton Unified School District

Micah Ali, Board Member, Compton Unified School District

Juanita Douse, Commissioner, City of Hawthorne

Ken Miller, Commissioner, City of Lawndale

Robert Katherman, Director, Metropolitan Water Replenishment District

Leticia Vasquez-Wilson, Director, Central Basin Municipal Water District

Harold Williams, Board Member, West Basin Municipal Water District

So Cal Pipe Trades District Council 16

UA Local 250

Teamsters Joint Council 42

ILWU Local 13

Richardson was born in Los Angeles to bi-racial parents and lives in San Pedro. She was raised by a single mother after her parents divorced when she was two. Her mother was a member of the Teamsters and remains a retiree today. Laura graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and earned her MBA from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.

Richardson served on the Long Beach City Council from 2000 to 2006, and while serving in the Assembly in 2007 after the untimely passing of Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald, she was elected to the House of Representatives, representing District 37, where she served three terms before redistricting significantly altered California's congressional map, resulting in the loss of African American representation for the first time in decades.

Senate District 35 includes the Los Angeles County communities of Westchester, Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, Harbor Gateway, Wilmington, San Pedro, and unincorporated communities of East and West Rancho Dominguez, Lennox, West Athens, Westmont, and Willowbrook. 

The election will take place on March 5, 2024.