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DEEGAN ON LA—Optimism may become electable, as we struggle to get through tensions at the global, national and local levels of stressful living.
There are so many issues on the table that it is beginning to groan. While not rejoicing, rising politico Alex Gruenenfelder has a very optimistic and infectious point of view on the LA piece of the world’s wailing wall.
City Watch was able to catch up with the former mayoral candidate to get a current state of Alex’s outlook.
CW-—Assuming the position of “armchair mayor”, how do you see LA through the lens of a corruption-laden homeless relief program, a crushing budget, and the debacle of the Palisades wildfires? What would you tell someone considering a relocation to LA?
AG—The next few years are going to be tough for Los Angeles, and right now, the mayor's number one job is showing up. We need strong leadership that brings people together during this crisis, whether that's standing with families who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire or walking Skid Row to see firsthand what's working and what's not.
We're facing a serious budget shortfall, and the first step is cutting the waste, starting with the corruption-laden programs that have drained resources without delivering results. If I were mayor, I'd be auditing the entire system and making cuts where they're needed, including to my own salary if it came to it. Right now, every possible dollar should be going toward rebuilding, not bloated bureaucracy.
That said, L.A. is still an incredible city. I love it here. If you're thinking about moving here, know that we'll welcome you, but understand that you're stepping into a city in crisis. We need people who are ready to rebuild, to support small businesses, to invest in our future. Housing is expensive, no doubt about it, but the only real solution is to build more and to expand.
CW—What would you say to attract people to come here….business climate, social climate, tourism?
AG—The United States is being viewed with skepticism by much of the world right now, but Los Angeles stands as a beacon of everything Donald Trump is not. We are diverse, we are welcoming, and we have one of the most vibrant cultural landscapes anywhere on the planet. This is the home of Hollywood. The home of world-class restaurants representing every cuisine imaginable. We have incredible weather, stunning geographic diversity, and, most important of all, amazing people. The people make L.A. special.
We need to make it easier to build here, whether it's an apartment complex or a business. I was at an IATSE event last week, talking with union members about how hard it's become to film in Los Angeles. That's a problem. We should be the entertainment capital of the world, and yet red tape and bureaucracy are driving productions elsewhere.
As mayor, I'd work every day to cut through those barriers and create a business climate that works for everyone. L.A. has so much potential, but it needs leadership that's willing to clear the path for growth while keeping our city's spirit intact.
CW—Any advice perhaps for the Democrats to get back in the game?
AG—Listen to people. It sounds simple, but politics operates in its own bubble, and if you're not connecting with everyday voters, you're going to lose. Right now, we're on the verge of a Democratic version of the Tea Party because so many people feel ignored. They don't think that their concerns are being taken seriously.
Democrats in Congress could be fighting back against Donald Trump a lot harder than they are. Voters are fed up with leaders who spent years warning that Trump was a threat to democracy, only to now shrink back when it's time to take a stand.
You can't run on urgency and then govern with complacency.
If Democrats want to get back in the game, they need to show people that they're willing to fight for them.
CW—You’ve worked on a number of campaigns, for who, what was their pitch, what was your role?
AG—After my own mayoral campaign, I ran youth engagement for Karen Bass as Co-Chair of Youth4Bass. I worked directly under Sade Elhawary, who is now a phenomenal State Assemblywoman and a dear friend. Our goal was to take the Congresswoman's message, which focused primarily on homelessness, and make it resonate with the next generation. That meant having real, open conversations, talking about hot-button issues like policing and actually listening to what young people had to say.
Gen Z wants a seat at the table, and it's up to campaigns to make sure that they get one.
During the 2024 cycle, I was the Director of Communications and Engagement for Doug Greco, a community organizer and former teacher running to be the first openly gay mayor of Austin, Texas. At one point, I was basically the de facto campaign manager, which was an incredible experience. Running a campaign in a red state is a whole different challenge from a blue state, but the message was similar: economically populist, socially open-minded. Doug didn't win, but those ideas resonated with a lot of people.
My biggest campaign last year was as Campaign Manager for Dan Chang, a public school teacher running for LAUSD Board of Education in District 3. It was the most expensive school board race in the country, and Dan is hands down my favorite candidate that I've ever worked for. When I took over after the primary, he was down sixteen points against a two-term incumbent. We closed that gap by doing the hard work: knocking more doors, sending more texts, and reaching more voters than our opponent. In the end, it was razor-close, and we didn't know the final result for days. It still stings that we came up short, but I know that Dan will continue to be a major force in education policy here in L.A.
CW—What motivated you to write the Joe Manchin book? In hindsight, has his retirement been a notable loss to the system…someone with the ability to “cross the aisle”?
AG—The Democratic Party has to be a big tent if we want to win. Most Americans aren't purely red or blue: they're somewhere in the middle. I'm a proud Democrat, but that doesn't mean that I always have to agree with party orthodoxy. Take charter schools, for instance. I'm always going to support charter schools, since they provided an educational opportunity for me that I wouldn't have had otherwise.
Joe Manchin dedicated his life to serving West Virginia, but our party essentially alienated him for standing his ground. He was willing to say, "Look, I come from a coal state. That has to matter when we talk about climate policy." If someone like that doesn't have a place in the Democratic Party, I don't know how we expect to win in the long run.
I wrote In Defense of Joe Manchin because I believed that losing him could cost Democrats control of the Senate. And unfortunately, I think I've been proven right. Look at what just happened with Pete Hegseth, a far-right Christian extremist, being confirmed as Secretary of Defense: three Republicans opposed him, every Democrat opposed him, and if Joe Manchin had been there, we could've had a much more reasonable choice.
Manchin was a strong messenger for Democratic values, but he also knew how to work across the aisle and get things done, even when Republicans were in power. And his defense of the filibuster, which is a big topic in my book, might feel a lot more justified to Democratic voters now that Trump is back in the White House.
CW—What’s your take on progressive politics in LA? In your mayoral race three years ago you called yourself a “practical progressive”. Is that title a valid characterization that fits you or have your politics shifted?
AG- As for labels, I've never felt like I fit neatly into one box. I've always seen myself as a bit of a libertarian Democrat. When I ran for mayor, Angela McArdle from the Libertarian Party even nominated me for their endorsement, but their bylaws wouldn't allow them to support a registered Democrat. At the same time, I had backing from members of the Democratic Socialists of America and other left-wing groups. To me, politics should be about finding common ground and building toward a better future together. That's what being a practical progressive means to me, and I'm still proud of that title.
Progressive politics in L.A. are a mixed bag right now, and it all comes down to results. My friend Hugo Soto-Martínez is delivering real change for the 13th District: I was just at an event with him a few weeks ago, and the crowd went absolutely wild when he took the stage. My friend Kenneth Mejia is doing incredible work as City Controller, bringing transparency and accountability like we haven't seen before.
Meanwhile, the loudest voices on social media, the ones more interested in hearing themselves talk than actually getting things done, have started to fade away. At the end of the day, ideology means nothing if you're not improving people's lives, especially at a moment as urgent as this for Los Angeles.
CW—Thank you.
(Tim Deegan is a civic activist whose Deegan on LA weekly column has been a feature of CityWatch for 11 years. Tim writes about city politics and communities. Tim can be reached at [email protected].)
