L.A. Elects Latino Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

The citizens of the sprawling U.S. megalopolis Los Angeles have elected the first Latino mayor in 133 years (since 1872) when the "City of Angels" was nothing more than a dusty frontier outpost of less than 6,000 residents. Here is the full story at the L.A. Times. Be sure to checkout the L.A. Times election blog and other related articles on this important political story.

Here is a brief history on L.A.'s (3) former Latino mayors. O.K., the real number is only 2 1/2 because one former Latino mayor, Manuel Requena who served in 1856, was a stand-in for only 13 days. It seems that the 3-time elected Mayor of Los Angeles, Stephan Clark Foster, had to step out for a few days to head up one of his infamous Lynching Parties so he put the Mexican guy in charge until he got back. Thanks to the folks over at the NNDB website for the great profile and background info on this "Hang 'em High" American frontier politician.

Born and raised in the predominantly Spanish-speaking barrios of East L.A. the newly elected Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa unseated the incumbant James Kahn with the help of a rapidly growing Latin-American voter population in L.A., and help from the African-American voters and from none other than the present Governor of California himself, Arnold Schwarzeneggar.

I wonder what that the Presidente of Mexico Vicente Fox has to say now, especially if he has plans to travel to L.A. to congratulate the new Mexican-American political heavyweight? I can hear him now, that is, if El Presidente ever gets the nerve to show up in L.A. in person:

"Can't we just all get along, por favor?!"