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POLITICAL INTERVIEW - Crystal Litz is a political and public affairs consultant who views herself as hopelessly moderate in the left-leaning world of Los Angeles and California politics and government.
Litz has directed statewide ballot initiatives, legislative issue campaigns, and political races at all levels from municipal, state, and federal office.
Crystal has managed some of the most competitive races in the country and has scored victories for clients including unions, advocacy groups, state, and local political party organizations.
She is a recognized expert on Judicial campaigns, having elected dozens of Superior Court Judges across California and here in Los Angeles County.
A Kentucky native, Crystal lives in Los Angeles and calls Las Vegas her second home. Dressed all in black, betting on red - she even manages to win at the tables.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Litz earned a Master’s from George Washington University and her MBA from Harvard.
Below is my interview with Litz and her forecast of Campaign 2024:
Who will win the presidency and why?
Harris wins, but if Trump does manage another victory, I will not be surprised. It is a huge and a very divided country. I spend a lot of time in Nevada and in the South where my family resides – so I am not just in the “LA Bubble.” While it’s impossible to imagine Trump flags proudly flying anywhere in Los Angeles, they are all over towns throughout “red” and even “purple” America. His supporters are intense and nothing will stop them from voting.
If Harris wins, what kind of president can we anticipate? If she loses, does she seek the nomination in 2028 with a whole school of new Democrats?
If Harris doesn’t win, I suspect she would run again but Gretchen Whitmer has come out of all of this looking very strong. She’d be a great pick in 2028. But again, if Harris does not win, we may have to face the staggering realization that this country just is not ready for a woman President. I fiercely hope that isn’t something we have to contemplate.
Will Adam Schiff break 60% against Steve Garvey in the race for US Senate?
Probably. Deservedly so. He will be a much better Senator and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that would disagree (even Republicans privately know this to be true).
Will Democrats retain control of the Senate and by what margin?
I am feeling that the Senate narrowly goes to the GOP. Democrats win Nevada (hold), Arizona (hold), and lose Montana, win Ohio (hold), and lose WV – we have no pickup potential really. So it goes to 48/52.
Will Republicans keep control of the House of Representatives and by what margin?
I think Democrats have a better chance of picking up the House given that the high interest/most winnable races are in California and New York. They need to pick up five (5) and I think they may get as many as ten (10). It would be my hope that the Democrats choose a moderate as Speaker. But I fear that will not happen and we make little to no progress.
Who will win the race for LA District Attorney and why? Who is running the better race?
Nathan Hochman is our next District Attorney. And not a moment too soon! George Gascon has been a complete disaster. He’s been a nightmare in regards to public safety and he’s a terrible campaigner. There is no energy behind his candidacy whatsoever except for the Democratic party activists, who are embarrassing themselves by continuing to support him despite a lackluster campaign and a complete failure to defend his disastrous policies.
Mainstream Democrats – which includes myself and most Los Angeles County voters – will vote for Hochman and his message of public safety over experimenting with our criminal justice system.
What judicial races standout and why?
It is very important to note that Judicial races are county-wide. It is also extremely important to note that there has been a movement by the far left to take over Judicial races. They run on the “Defenders of Justice” slate and they are mostly public defenders by profession.
It is also very interesting to note that sometime in the last month, the Defenders of Justice dramatically changed their website. They suddenly started acting like moderates. They are not. But even these folks can see what’s happening here. Crime is a very real issue. Gascon will not win. And by blindly supporting his dangerous policies, the “Defenders of Justice” or the “Legion of Doom” as I call them, realize they are about to hit a wall called – mainstream voters, who care about crime and public safety and have not enjoyed being a part of this social experiment by Gascon one bit.
The “Defenders of Justice” can act like they’re just for “reasonable reform” all they want to. Their language and their funders tell the real story. These folks are dangerous and will NOT prosecute crimes. Don’t be fooled. Steve Napolitano in Seat 39 needs to win. Renee Rose in Seat 48 must win. And Steven Mac in Seat 135 needs to win. It won’t help if we elect Nathan Hochman and then elect a bunch of crazy “pro-criminal” Judges.
Any ballot measures you care to comment? Which are the ones you are following?
Prop 36 should pass and needs to pass. It is extremely important to fix the imbalance created by other props that flipped the balance to lawlessness. And not a great concept. If you commit a crime, there needs to be consequences. As a populace, we are tired of having to ask for a store clerk to get whitening toothpaste or hairspray. Store shelves aren’t empty because of a supply chain disruption. They’re empty because on a daily basis your local drug store or your local grocer are robbed and can do nothing to stop it. We have tied the hands of law enforcement and businesses and Prop 36 needs to help move the needle back to sanity.
What about ballot measures on homelessness, marriage and increasing the minimum wage?
I voted yes on 3. Everyone should.
LA will host FIFA in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027 and the Summer Olympics in 2028. Is LA ready to successfully host and why?
Karen Bass seems to be willing to do what needs to be done to make the City “camera ready”. If anything, having these deadlines has pushed her to do what needs to be done in terms of infrastructure and safety. We know for certain that this city can “pretty itself up” when we need to. So, thankfully, this has forced her to focus on quality of life issues that desperately need attention.
Who do you feel are the rising political stars in LA and why?
“Stars” don’t excite me (how very UN-LA like of me, right?). I’m really excited about this group called “THRIVE”. They’re moderate Democrats that care about issues like public safety and quality of life issues. www.ThriveLosAngeles.org
You have to feel that there is a moderate, common sense momentum building in this City. We have Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11), who won a hard race to take over what was a far-left, City Council seat. There are other movements happening – there is the Blue Wave Democratic Club.
Interestingly, a lot of these are starting on the West Side but they’re moving out to the rest of LA. I am feeling much better about things with these things – and the Westside Current – which is finally telling the truth about crime and public safety issues.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one-year resident of Venice who covers politics, government, and the culture of the Westside. In a previous life he served as a legislative aide to two members of the New Jersey General Assembly. Have a take or a tip? Contact him at [email protected].)
