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J Gomez ‘Determined’ In LA County Supervisor Campaign Against Solis

: El Monte City Councilman Juventino “J” Gomez sat down with Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper and talked about his campaign for LA County Supervisor on Wednesday.  Randy Economy Photo

: El Monte City Councilman Juventino “J” Gomez sat down with Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper and talked about his campaign for LA County Supervisor on Wednesday. Randy Economy Photo

By Brian Hews

El Monte City Councilman Juventino “J” Gomez likes his chances in his race to replace Gloria Molina on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in the upcoming June primary election.

In spite of being considered as the underdog in the race against former US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Gomez said that he has never “underestimated the power of the voters.”

Gomez, who walks with a slight limp due to a near fatal injury he suffered while in service during the Vietnam War, told Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper in an interview this week that he has always “overcome incredible odds” in the past and is going “100 percent into this campaign for all of the right reasons.”

Candid, driven and folksy, Gomez isn’t your flashy, high profile candidate for public office and isn’t “impressed” with “titles” or “being called Honorable” at public events.

“I never quite understood why elected officials think that they are better than everyone else as soon as the raise their right hand and take an Oath of Office,” Gomez said.

“Trust me, I am running for Supervisor here in LA County so every single door and desk drawer can be opened up inside the Hall of Administration and cleaned out,” Gomez said. 

He pointed to the arrest of current Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez and three others on corruption charges as well as the recent arrests of more nearly two dozen current and past members of the LA County Sheriff’s Department has “glaring red flags that we cannot have politics as usual running out of control” inside the corridors of power throughout the massive county government.

Gomez said that he isn’t “impressed” with Solis and her candidacy or her recent stint as US Labor Secretary under President Barack Obama.

“Voters will see through who she is and why she is really running,” Gomez said.

Gomez said that if elected he will make sure that the embattled Los Angeles County Department of Child Services have “more boots on the ground, especially since it oversees the protection of our youngest residents and those most vulnerable in our society.”

Gomez said that even though he entered the campaign months after Solis announced her candidacy, he said that he is “off to a great start.”

So far, Gomez, who is married with three grown children, said that more than 50 local elected officials have already endorsed his campaign.

“Having the support and guidance of Supervisor Mike Antonovich is a real Blessing,” Gomez said.

“This campaign is going to be about who can best deliver needed services to the taxpayers and the hardworking residents of Los Angeles County, not for who will work the best for the politically powerful bosses in Washington DC,” Gomez concluded.