2013 LA Mayoral Poll: Eric Garcetti Leads Wendy Greuel By Slight Margin (PHOTOS)

Guess Which One Is In The Lead For LA Mayor
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Councilman Eric Garcetti is slightly ahead in LA's 2013 mayoral race, according to a poll released Monday.

Of polled Angelenos who have decided who they'll vote for in March, 36% chose Garcetti , 32% chose Controller Wendy Greuel, 15% chose Councilwoman Jan Perry, 9% chose former radio host Kevin James and 2% chose technology strategist Emanuel Pleitez.

However, a whopping 67% responded "don't know," which is understandable since the campaigns have not even begun yet.

Still, it is revealing to see what groups prefer which of the two frontrunners, Garcetti and Greuel.

Although they're both Democrats, Garcetti polled better among traditionally more Democratic voters and Greuel among more Republican voters:

PREFER GARCETTI:

Race: Latinos, Blacks, Asians

Age: 18-64

Region: non-Valley

Religion: Catholics, Agnostic/Atheists

Political Party: Democrats

Household incomes: $80,000 and less; or greater than $150,000

Rent/own: home renters

PREFER GREUEL:
Race: Whites
Age: 65 and older
Region: the Valley
Religion: Protestants, Jewish respondents
Political Party: Republicans
Household incomes: between $80 - $150,000
Rent/own: home owners

It's not suprising that hipster candidate Garcetti -- who drives a Prius, lives in Silverlake and is part-Mexican -- polled better among liberals. Greuel, although a true-blue Democrat now, was actually registered Republican in her 20s, according to LA Weekly .

The poll also asked Angelenos if they thought Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's endorsement would hurt or help the candidate who received it. Whites and people 45 years and older thought the Mayor's endorsement would hurt a candidate. Latinos, blacks, Asians, women and people under 45 years old thought it would help a candidate. Overall, opinion was about split.

The poll was distributed by 175 Loyola Marymount University undergraduate students on Nov. 6 at polling places across LA. There were 4,411 total collected surveys in English and Spanish. However, voter turnout in March will be much less than in November, so the poll should be read with a grain of salt.

In fact, a private poll in October showed Greuel with 20% of respondents' support, while Garcetti had 16%.

In a statement to HuffPost, Greuel's campaign consultant John Shallman said that LMU's poll is "not even close" to accurate because it does not look at "likely voters."

"The Garcetti campaign is grasping for any good news, and that said, the best news that Garcetti can grasp in this poll is that at the end of the day, he still would lose a head to head matchup against Wendy Greuel," Shallman said. "Wendy has consistently held strong leads in previously polls that looked at who will be voting in March."

Clearly, this is going to be a tough fight.

Find out more about each candidate here:

LA Mayorial Candidates 2013
City Controller Wendy Greuel (01 of05)
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Party: DemocraticPlatform: As LA's city controller, Greuel has made headlines for exposing waste and fraud with her financial audits of the Memorial Coliseum, LA housing department and other city agencies. On her campaign site, Greuel writes, "It is time to increase accountability and transparency in our government. Please join me in this pursuit."Current Gig: Los Angeles City Controller since July 2009Donation Amount As Of First 2012 Filing: $1.1 millionQuotable Quote: "People just say, 'I'll vote for you for anything if you just repair Wilshire Boulevard'. " -- KNX 1070 via The City MavenMore Info: wendygreuel.org (credit:Facebook)
Councilman Eric Garcetti(02 of05)
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Party: DemocraticPlatform: "Bringing practical solutions to the economic challenges that are holding our city back -- solutions like the structural pension reforms I've spearheaded to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers now and in the future; responsible budgeting that protects core city services; and key investments to make our neighborhoods stronger, safer, and attractive to jobs and businesses." -- campaign websiteCurrent Gig: Councilmember representing the 13th Council District (Atwater Village, Echo Park, Hollywood and Silver Lake)Donation Amount As Of First 2012 Filing: More than $1 millionQuotable Quote: "I've seen shuttered storefronts transformed into thriving main streets, and I've seen dangerous streets reborn as some of the city's safest neighborhoods. We've nearly tripled the number of parks, given every student in my district access to an after school program, and deployed the city's first constituent services 'smart phone' application so you can report graffiti or a pothole from the palm of your hand." -- campaign websiteMore Info: ericgarcetti.com (credit:Getty Images)
Councilwoman Jan Perry(03 of05)
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Party: DemocraticPlatform: As a councilwoman, Perry has emphasized policies and courted projects and businesses that will help bring jobs to her district, sometimes to the point of controversy. On her campaign site, she writes that she's running for mayor because, "I want to do more and believe that Los Angeles is and will continue to be a great place for investment and development. We cannot tax our way out of the recession we need to continue support investment that create the jobs that will do just that."Current Gig: Councilmember representing the 9th Council District (Parts of Downtown LA and South LA)Donation Amount As Of First 2012 Filing: $827,328Quotable Quote: "In recent months, I have felt that we have drifted away from the kind of openness and frank discussion that has characterized this council, especially as it pertains to the future of council leadership, the council as an institution, and the future design for council districts." -- Jan Perry on her resignation from the City Council. She was protesting new district lines that separate Downtown LA from South LA, via the LA Times. More Info: janperry.com (credit:Facebook)
Kevin James(04 of05)
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Party: RepublicanPlatform: James' top priorities include bringing jobs back to LA, balancing the city's budget and repairing infrastructure. In 2011, James told LA Weekly that he wants to be the first openly gay mayor in Los Angeles. Current Gig: Radio host for conservative talk show on 870 KRLA AM. The show runs from 12am to 3am. Donation Amount As Of First 2012 Filing: $154,253Quotable Quote: "There's no doubt that if I became the first openly gay mayor of Los Angeles, it would help [the gay community] enter the mainstream in America even more." -- LA Weekly. More Info: kevinjamesformayor.com (credit:Facebook)
Emanuel Pleitez(05 of05)
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Party: DemocraticPlatform: Pleitez worked for Mayor Villaraigosa from 2003-2005. He believes there is much work to be done in the areas of public schools and unemployment. He contends LA needs a candidate with private sector experience and pointed to his three years with investment bank Goldman Sachs. The son of Salvadoran immigrants, Pleitez grew up in South LA.Current Gig: Chief strategy officer for data firm SpokeoDonation Amount As Of First 2012 Filing: Over $110,000 by Sept. 30 Quotable Quote: "The city of Los Angeles needs a mayor who knows how to talk to its different communities and feel what they feel," Pleitez told FOX News. "I'm probably the only candidate who can talk to bankers and tell them what's best for our communities with the same confidence that I can talk to some gangbanger and tell him that what he is doing makes our people suffer."More Info: pleitezforla.com (credit:Facebook/Emanuel Pleitez)

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