LA Mayoral Candidate Pleitez Gains Momentum, Unveils Plan for City

Listen to the full audio story

Download the MP3

Candidate Emanuel Pleitez has an extensive background in business and politics ranging from Goldman Sachs to serving under president Obama.

Now that He is running for mayor, he hopes to bring his expertise to the position. But with only a few months left in the race, many voters still don't know his name.

Pleitez says he has defined his campagin by reaching out to voters.

"Since july, my team and I have knocked on 40,000 doors and made 150,000 phone calls," he said.

And yet, Pleitez remians behind the front runners. But he says he's not out yet.

"I knock on your door once, you might be with me, you might not. Later that night you get a friend request on Facebook. A week goes by and you might look my up online. That's when it starts coming. its a process," he said.

Pleitez's seven point plan includes a $1 billion investment in low economic areas as well as urban projects to lower traffic and eliminate fossil fuel usage.

And he is winning some converts. Jaime Gaytan was at today's event. She just heard about Pleitez two days ago.

"He has my full support and he has my vote till March 5th. and I agree with everything he said in his speech today so i'm with him on that," she said.

And his opponents are seeing the effects. According to a recent poll by survey usa, Pleitez has gone up seven percent with Latino voters in the last month while Garcetti has gone down by 13 percent.

"Up until last week, we weren't even mentioned the press. The fact that were breaking double digits in some parts of the city is crazy," Pleitez said.
 
Pleitez isn't worried about what the polls say right now.  He only cares about the result on March 5th.