Anaheim, Calif. – Former City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Lorri Galloway today declared she is running for Mayor of Anaheim. Upon making the announcement on the steps of City Hall, Galloway released the following statement:
“I’ve spent decades helping the residents of Anaheim and listening to their concerns about the direction our city is headed, and today I am proud to announce that I will be a candidate for Anaheim mayor in 2018.
“I’m running for mayor with a vision to solve the unique challenges facing our city and provide the leadership that Anaheim deserves. I will be a voice for all of Anaheim, bridging the city from the east hills to the west end, the resort district and small businesses, and law enforcement and the communities they serve. I have the vision and experience gained from a lifetime of service to get results for the people of this community.
Unlike those seeking the mayor’s office as a stepping stone to the next big opportunity, my focus is and has always been on serving the people of Anaheim. I will fight for an economy that benefits everyone, tackle our homelessness crisis, and combat the increased crime and gang violence that has become a part of daily life in the central city. We need a leader in City Hall who has a vision for the people of Anaheim and the experience to make it a reality. I look forward to sharing my vision to solve Anaheim’s challenges with residents in the months ahead.”
Galloway is the founder and executive director of the Eli Home for Abused Children, a Presidential Citation-winning nonprofit that has provided housing, counseling, and support services to homeless victims of child abuse and domestic violence for over 34 years.
She was first elected to the Anaheim City Council in 2004 and re-elected in 2008, and remains the only Democratic woman to serve there. Galloway has been a passionate voice for working families in Anaheim, working to secure new affordable housing units for the city, founding the East Street Community Renewal Initiative to revitalize underserved neighborhoods, and launching the 100 Chances initiative to provide on-the-job training and mentorship for at-risk Anaheim youth and students of color. She was instrumental in the development of the Anaheim Family Justice Center, a centralized facility that ensures law enforcement and social service agencies coordinate with each other to better help victims of domestic, child, elder, and sexual abuse.
Lorri, a 45-year Anaheim resident, is married to her childhood sweetheart, Michael. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.
As many know, I was once a very enthusiastic member of Team Galloway. Sadly, perhaps infamously, I am no longer there. While it could be that I moved a bit towards the right on the political spectrum, I also attribute our falling out to, among other things, the complexity and brutal nature of politics, maybe Anaheim politics in particular. Anyone who knows me knows that I am, or at least was, naive. With all that said, I truly wish Lorri, and I’ll always think of her as Lorri, the very best in this campaign. Looking back, I know she is a truly good person. Mea culpa.
Naive, but painfully good intentioned… oy vey!
“Unlike those seeking the mayor’s office as a stepping stone to the next big opportunity”
If memory serves me correctly, Ms. Galloway attempted to use her then position as a city councilmember as a stepping stone for a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.