By Jorge Casuso

January 6, 2021 -- State Assemblymember Richard Bloom -- who has championed environmental, housing and transportation bills in his eight years in Sacramento -- announced Wednesday he will run for County Supervisor in 2022.

Bloom will seek to replace Sheila Kuehl, a fellow Santa Monica resident who has made clear she will not run for reelection when her second term expires in two years.

“I am running for L.A. County Supervisor because I want to build on Supervisor Kuehl's progressive legacy and tackle the many critical issues that we face," Bloom said in a statement.

"I believe my background and experience are ideally suited to helping address the many issues that face the residents of Los Angeles County,” he said.

Bloom plans to continue fighting for "solutions to the housing and homelessness crisis," "committing to equitable economic recovery and growth" and "addressing the causes of the climate crisis."

He will run under new district boundaries that an independent redistricting commission is scheduled to set by August.

"While redistricting brings with it some unavoidable uncertainty, Bloom is moving ahead with his campaign and continuing to gather support for his run, establishing himself as a frontrunner in what will surely be an arduous campaign," his office said.

Assembly District 50 currently includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Malibu, Agoura Hills and dozens of Westside neighborhoods within the County’s Third District.

Bloom initially won his Assembly seat in a hotly contested election in 2012, beating fellow Democrat Betsy Butler 93,445 votes to 91,740.

He was the first Santa Monican to make the leap from City Hall to Sacramento, winning despite being snubbed by both Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) and the local Democratic Club.

Bloom, who served as Mayor, took many of the causes he championed locally to the State Capitol. These included banning single-use plastic products , increasing homeless services, boosting affordable housing and pushing for public transportation.

Bloom easily won reelection in 2016 and 2020 winning by more than 75 percent of the vote. Term limits bar him from running for re-election in 2024.

Bloom has been Chair of the Assembly’s Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Energy, Climate Crisis and Transportation and served on numerous committees, including Higher Education, Business & Professions and Local Government.

In his announcement, he praised Kuehl, who was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2014, defeating former Santa Monica Mayor Bobby Shriver in a heated race.

“Supervisor Kuehl has been and will continue to be a champion of progress on the Board of Supervisors," Bloom said.

"Her impact has been profound and her legacy as a State Legislator and Supervisor will bring benefits long into the future.”