Mayor Eric Garcetti hardly needed the support of former President Obama to strengthen his campaign for reelection, but he asked for it anyway during a party at the White House last month. On Tuesday, Garcetti declared himself the first candidate to win Obama’s endorsement since his presidency ended. A California co-chair of Obama’s 2008 campaign, Garcetti recalled meeting with Obama in the Oval Office before deciding whether to run for mayor in 2013. At the time, Garcetti was an L.A. city councilman considering a job heading urban policy at the White House, the mayor said. 4:55 p.m.: This article was updated with confirmation of the endorsement by a spokesman for former President Obama.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 07, 2017 22:07 UTC