Alarcon Leaves Immediately, Fuentes Poised As Replacement

In a flash, he's gone. Ten days after he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council, Richard Alarcon has resigned from his Assembly seat and fled back south. The decision means a vote on his Assembly replacement can occur during the already scheduled May 15 municipal election.

At the same time, City Council president Eric Garcetti has appointed Democrat Alarcon as "caretaker" of the 7th Council District until he can be sworn later this month. The consolidation of the Assembly special election with the May 15 municipal election is expected to save about $100,000, Alarcon's office said.

According to The Times, the most prominent candidate to replace Alarcon is Felipe Fuentes, who was State Sen. Alex Padilla's chief of staff. Fuentes declined to run in the 7th district council race in December "in deference to Alarcon." He has already held a fund-raiser in Sacramento hosted by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Padilla.