August 7, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Henry Waxman praises 33rd District Congressman-elect Ted Lieu at election night party

Ted Lieu flanked by his family and Henry and Janet Waxman at the Proud Bird restaurant near LAX on election night. Photo by Brenton Garen
Ted Lieu flanked by his family and Henry and Janet Waxman at the Proud Bird restaurant near LAX on election night. Photo by Brenton Garen

State Senator Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, was humble and gracious at his election night party Tuesday following his defeat of Republican gang prosecutor Elan Carr in the battle to replace retiring Congressman Henry Waxman.

With all precincts reporting, Lieu claimed victory with 58.37 percent of the vote (79,708 votes) to Carr’s 41.63 percent (56,854 votes).

The predominantly Democratic 33rd District includes Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Agoura Hills, Venice, Mar Vista, and the South Bay.

Waxman, who has held the seat since 1975 and endorsed Lieu, received a loud welcome when he and his wife Janet joined Lieu and his family on stage at the Proud Bird restaurant near LAX at about 11 pm Tuesday.

“This is the first time I’ve not been on the ballot since 1968,” Waxman told several hundred of Lieu’s supporters. “To me it’s been a great honor to represent this 33rd Congressional District which includes West L.A. and all the way down into the South Bay to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. I’m leaving my career in Congress and Janet Waxman, my wife, and I are here to pass on the mantle of the job of being a Representative to Ted Lieu.”

Waxman wished Lieu well in the next chapter of his political career.

“While this has been a discouraging night for our Democrats, and a sad time for me because so many of the people that have lost throughout the country were astounding public servants,” Waxman said. “The highlight of this whole evening is to see Ted win.”

Lieu spoke about how remarkable Waxman’s 40-year career in Congress had been.

“He is an amazing legislator who for four decades has passed so many laws that help save lives for millions of Americans from his work on the AIDS Act, to Clean Air amendments, to his fight against tobacco – virtually every aspect of our lives has been touched by Henry Waxman.”

Lieu spoke about his commitment to the voters who elected him.

“As your member of Congress, I’m going to do what I have done in State Legislature, which is work on bipartisan basis with Democrats and Republicans to solve our challenging problems, to grow our economy, to create new jobs, and get California and America to a better place,” Lieu said. “But there’s also going to be areas where there’s not going to be an agreement. And those areas I’m going to fight for you and for our constituents on issues such as climate change, I’m going to fight to make sure we enact strong climate change legislature, as an immigrant myself I’m going to fight for comprehensive immigration reform, and I’m going to work every day to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. And what we’ve seen with that profoundly stupid decision is a flood of money into politics, but there’s only so much that money can do.”

Lieu said if money was the only thing driving politics, he would not have been elected Tuesday.

“I was outspent in the Primary by at least two of my opponents, and in the General Election, we were outspent again because two Super PACs came in and spent over $800,000 attacking us and supporting our opponent, and yet we’re ahead,” he said. “The reason we’re ahead because the Super PACs have something which is just money, but we have our view and that’s why we’re ahead.”

Carr surprised some by finishing atop a crowded field of candidates in the June primary election with 21.5 percent of the vote. But Carr benefited from the splitting of Democratic votes among a list of candidates that included former Los Angeles City Councilwoman and City Controller Wendy Greuel.

Lieu is a graduate of Stanford University and the Georgetown University Law Center. He served in the U.S. Air Force, serving at one point in Guam and helping airlift Kurds out of northern Iraq. He later worked as a clerk at the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and practiced civil law. He was elected to the Torrance City Council in 2002, the Assembly in 2005 and, the state Senate in 2011.

Related Posts

Levain Bakery Lands in Beverly Hills with Cookies, Swag, and a Sweet Surprise

August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

Newest Location’s Debut Includes Limited-Edition Flavor, Early-Bird Giveaways Levain Bakery will mark the opening of its newest location in Beverly...

Bistro Blue’s One Night Only Seasonal Menu Pops Up at Little City Farms August 10

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Chef Kara Vorabutr’s Garden Dinner Promises to be a Seasonal Showstopper Bistro Blue, a pop-up concept by Chef Kara Vorabutr,...

Cardinale du Vin’s Weekend Izakaya Pop-Up Blends Thai Flavors and Japanese Dishes

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Three Nights Only: Thai-Japanese Fusion Menu Launched in Pico-Robertson Cardinale du Vin is unveiling a special izakaya-inspired menu this weekend,...

Santa Monica’s Chez Jay Celebrates 66 Years with Retro Bash by the Beach

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Landmark Restaurant Celebrates With Classic Cars, Live Music, Celebrity Lore One of Los Angeles County’s most storied restaurants will mark...

Film Review: Weapons

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

By Dolores Quintana You might be asking yourself what the film Weapons is about. Not to worry, writer and director...

Classic Rock Tribute Takes Center Stage at Beverly Hills Summer Series, Concerts on Canon

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rod Lightning and the Thunderbolts of Love Bring High-Energy Hits to the Stage The City of Beverly Hills continues its...

Trial Date Set for Alleged ‘Ketamine Queen’ in Matthew Perry’s Death

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Woman Accused in Matthew Perry’s Overdose to Face Jury The woman accused of supplying the fatal dose of ketamine that...

DUI Suspect Identified and Charged in Crash That Killed 9-Year-Old, Injured Brother

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

RV Driver to Face Serious Felony Charges After Striking Boys Riding E-Scooter The 46-year-old man who was allegedly driving under...

Late-Night Traffic Stop in L.A. Lands Rap Star Soulja Boy Back in Legal Spotlight

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rapper Taken Into Custody During Early Morning Traffic Stop Rapper Soulja Boy was taken into custody early Sunday after Los...

Deadly Crosswalk Hit and Run in West Adams, Victim Hit Multiple Times and Left to Die

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Police Seek Public Help to Identify Three Drivers Who Struck and Killed a Pedestrian  Detectives with the Los Angeles Police...

Brentwood Bookstore Welcomes a Hollywood Insider and Secret Service Agent for a Night of Noir

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Tinseltown Thrills Meet Real-Life Intrigue With Author of To Live and Die in LA Diesel, A Bookstore will host a...

Woman Shot During Attempted Electric Bicycle Robbery in Culver City

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Suspects Remain at Large After Confrontation Ends in Gunfire Early Monday morning, gunfire erupted during an attempted robbery on Sepulveda...

Elvis Meets Oedipus at the Getty Villa in Fall Premiere of Oedipus the King, Mama!

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Getty Villa Stages Rock-Fueled Oedipus Satire Under the Stars The Getty Villa Museum will bring the myth of Oedipus to...

Cary Grant’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Hits Market for $77.5M

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Rebuilt by His Widow, the Home Now Offers Sweeping Views Once owned by Hollywood legend Cary Grant, a Beverly Hills...

LA Housing Permits Rebound in Q2: Wildfire Rebuild and Fast-Tracked Reviews Spur Modest Growth

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

New Data Shows a 37% Quarterly Jump in Residential Permits, Long-Term Uncertainty Looms Residential development in Los Angeles picked up...