Bloom Helps Kick Off 2012 Campaign Season

Election Day is a year away, but two candidates for the 41st State Assembly District seat are kicking off their campaigns this month. Santa Monica Mayor held his first official event Sunday morning, and longtime activist Torie Osborn will begin her campaign June 12 with an event in Pacific Palisades. Both contestants are Democrats.

Bloom kicked off his campaign in the form of a fundraiser held at the .

"I've developed over both my legal career and city council political career a lot of skills that will serve me well in Sacramento," he told Santa Monica Patch in December. "I'm particularly good at working with people and bringing about consensus."

"I want people to know that I'm a serious candidate, and I'm in it to win."

Bloom said he had been considering the run for more than a year but wanted to make sure "that the public support would be out there. Everybody I've spoken to has encouraged me and said, 'We need people like you in Sacramento.' "

Bloom may not be the only elected official in Santa Monica aspiring to fill Brownley's Assembly seat. When previously asked via e-mail about rumors that he too might be considering a run at it, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board Member Ben Allen replied, "I'm closely considering my options!"

The 41st District covers a large area that includes Santa Monica, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Encino, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and a portion of Ventura County. At least for now. The area could change once California's new legislative district maps are finalized later this year.

Julia Brownley, the current representative for the 41st District, is not eligible to run again in 2012 due to term limits. Those seeking to replace her will be running in a different type of race than she did.

In the past, party primaries took place in June to decide who would move on to the general election in November. The real battle was in the Democratic primary, with the winner of that contest cruising to victory in November against the Republican candidate in this heavily Democratic district.

Under the new format, which was created last year with the passage of state Proposition 14, there is one primary in June open to all candidates, regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters in that election will face off in November's general election.

Are you supporting either candidate at this time? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

Portions of this article were originally published on Malibu Patch.