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# Loya and Shriver: Two ends of the spectrum
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/loya-and-shriver-two-ends-of-the-spectrum-editor/
- Published: 2004-10-27T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:20:55.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pico, #archive-import

*By Elias Serna Professor, Cal-State Northridge*

The enthusiasm for Maria Loya’s candidacy was high last week at a fundraiser at Patricia Correa’s Bergamont Station gallery. Poets and performance artists made constant reference to Loya’s agenda: working class/female/Latina representation, the livable wage, education and youth issues, and the conservation of Santa Monica’s character. Many of us know her for her advocacy on behalf of families through Mothers For Justice. Crowd responses were heartfelt. The event likely drew a few thousand dollars, and the commitment of many to get physically involved in this year’s campaign.

Then Bobby Shriver had a photo op with his uncle Ted Kennedy and revealed that he’s raised $162,000 for his campaign — this is $100,000 more than any other candidate. His motive for getting into politics is the city’s control over his front yard. His agenda is ambiguous at best. Antagonistic towards rent control, Shriver announced to some that his politics — not Santa Monicans For Renters Rights — are “the future of Santa Monica.”

Loya and Shriver represent the two poles of this year’s candidates. Organic leaders from the Pico neighborhood will never compete financially with north of Montana’s hedge-liberators. That’s a fact. We rely on all we can muster organizationally, and the conscience of Santa Monicans outside of the Pico corridor. Santa Monica’s own battle ground voters need to decide if moneyed individuals with famous relatives will represent us, or people we know. Personally, I hope voters can make history and elect the first Latina from our varrio to the City Council.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 27, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102704.pdf?ref=smdp.com)