Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton announced on Tuesday that he's endorsing Laura Pastor, a candidate in the District 4 City Council race.
"As a former classroom teacher and a lifelong educator, Laura Pastor is exactly the voice we need on the Phoenix City Council," Mayor Stanton said in a news release. "She was raised in the historic neighborhood she lives in today, and served for seven years on the Encanto Village Planning Committee. Few people know the challenges and opportunities of our city like Laura does and she will be a loud champion on the Council for historic preservation, economic development and the arts and cultural amenities our neighborhoods need."
It's not surprising that Stanton is supporting Pastor, daughter of U.S. Representative Ed Pastor. After all, her father lent his support to Stanton during his 2011 mayoral campaign.
See also: -Wes Gullett, Mayoral Candidate, Endorsed By Former Mayor Paul Johnson -Votes Tallied in Phx Election; District 4, 8 Candidates to Face-Off on Nov 5
Laura Pastor is running against Justin Johnson, son of former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson, for the open seat held by Councilman Tom Simplot, who isn't seeking re-election.
Johnson, the former mayor, endorsed Stanton's opponent during his mayoral race.
Council candidates Pastor and Johnson made it through the August 27 Primary Election and now will face each other in a November 5 runoff election.
It was a close race, with Pastor getting 4,030 votes compared to Johnson's 4,196 votes. There were seven candidates running to represent District 4, splitting the more than 12,400 ballots cast in that area.
Pastor, a fifth generation Arizonan, graduated from St. Mary's High School and Arizona State University, was an elementary school teacher before she started working with at-risk high school students to prepare them for college and careers.
Johnson is a builder and owner in Old World Communities, his father's homebuilding company. He grew up in Sunnyslope, went to Madison Grade School and Sunnyslope High School.
