Redistricting will dramatically alter the political landscape this fall when voters go to the polls to elect representatives to Congress, and some well-known names are already throwing their hats in the ring to get a head start on their campaigns.

Karen Bass

Congresswoman Karen Bass, who has represented the 33rd Congressional District since 2010, has announced plans to run in the newly created 37th District, while Congressman Henry Waxman will who has represented the 30th District more than three decades, said he will be running in the newly created 33rd Congressional District.

The new district in which Bass is running will not include portions of Hollywood and other neighborhoods north of Wilshire Boulevard that are currently within her district. The 33rd District currently stretches from Hollywood to Windsor Hills and Inglewood, and from Culver City to the Harbor (110) Freeway. The new 37th  District will have similar east/west boundaries, but the northern border will be drawn along Wilshire Boulevard. Some of the areas north of Wilshire Boulevard will be included in the new 33rd District, in which Waxman plans to run, but West Hollywood and portions of Hollywood will shift to the new 28th District, where no candidates have officially emerged.

Bass said she made an early announcement about running to give her plenty of time to meet with constituents and mount an aggressive campaign. She became the first candidate to announce a run in the district, as the official campaign filing period does not begin until mid-February. Bass will hold a campaign kick-off event on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Culver City Teen Center, 4153 Overland Ave. She added that although the district map is changing, the issues remain the same, including job creation, unemployment and public transportation.

“I’ve always approached the election to office from a community organizing vantage point. Most people who are running will not start to run until mid-February, but I took out the paperwork early,” Bass said. “I want to introduce myself to the people. I never assume I know what the district wants. I’ve been going to all sorts of meetings since the first of the year, to meet with the community and hear their concerns.”

Bass said the “number one” issue in the district is job creation, and providing assistance to people who are unemployed. Already this year, she has been working in Congress to end the standoff over increases to the payroll tax, but added that the Republican members of the House of Representatives are stalling on the issue, and it may not be until February until some real progress is made. She added that she will continue pushing for new funding for people who are unemployed.

“I want to protect unemployment insurance. There are six million people on unemployment, and I consider it a very important issue,” Bass said. “We need to get people involved in fighting for unemployment insurance. It’s vital people get involved.”

Henry Waxman

Bass also said she is working to secure more federal funding for public transportation projects, such as the subway extension under Wilshire Boulevard and the completion of the Expo Line. People need a way to get work, she said, and the federal government should play a larger role in making public transportation projects a reality.

“Specifically, I am going to look at how we can get more transportation dollars. I know my Republican colleagues are not going to go for any new funding, but there are areas where we could get some bipartisan support, particularly in the reauthorization of the Federal Transportation Act,” Bass added. “I believe in fighting for resources to give back to L.A., and I want to fight for every federal dollar I can.”

The Congresswoman will also continue to work on social issues, including better care for foster children, a cause she has been directly involved with for years. Prior to serving in Congress, Bass served in the California State Assembly from 2004 through 2010, and was elected by her colleagues as Assembly Speaker in 2008. During that time, she authored a bill to extend foster care services to children until age 21.

Waxman said he plans to run in the new 33rd District, and that although it will no longer include Democratic enclaves like West Hollywood, the new district will still include Beverly Hills, the Miracle Mile and Hancock Park. The western portion of the district remains largely intact, stretching to Agoura Hills, but the new 33rd District will extend south along the coast to include the beach cities in the South Bay, as well as the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

“I am looking forward to representing that area. They share a lot of concerns with the rest of the district,” Waxman said. “[The Redistricting Commission] kept the district pretty much intact, but some areas were deleted unfortunately, including West Hollywood, Pico Robertson and Woodland Hills. I represented those areas for decades and have a lot of friends there, but I don’t think losing it will affect my ability to represent the area.”

Waxman has experienced boundary changes many times since first being elected to Congress in 1974. The Congressman said he is ready to face the new challenges that may arise, and plans to continue working to secure more federal funding for education and healthcare, as well as protecting the environment.

“In the course of representing Malibu and Santa Monica, I have been very involved in protecting the Santa Monica Bay from pollution, and that has been an ongoing issue that has affected this new area as well,” Waxman said. “One of my main goals is making sure the services being made available to people that are needed are still provided.”

Potential candidates in the Congressional Districts have until March 9 to file the official paperwork. A primary election will be held on June 5, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 6.