The Mexican-American Bar Association (MABA) said Wednesday it would endorse Eric Garcetti for mayor of Los Angeles.
According to a release from MABA, the organization said "we believe that his impressive professional accomplishments and personal integrity render him the best candidate in the primary.”
MABA represents about 500 attorneys, judges, politicians and business leaders in the Los Angeles area.
A recent poll from Loyola-Marymount University showed Garcetti the favorite among Latinos.
It also showed he had a slight edge in a multi-candidate primary, though City Controller Wendy Gruel would have a slight lead in a runoff against Garcetti.
Garcetti is of Mexican ancestry on his father Gil's side, who is also of Italian ancestry.
Garcetti's Latino endorsers include fellow city council member Ed Reyes and Ana Ponce, head of Camino Nuevo charter schools.
Gruel has also picked up a number of impressive endorsers, including council member Jose Huizar, U.S. Congressman-elect Tony Cardenas and Ana Perez, president of the National Latina Business Women Association—Los Angeles.
Emanuel Alftredo Pleitez, another candidate in the race, is of Salvadoran and Mexican heritage, but is not considered a serious contender at this time.
Pleitz supporters demonstrated outside the downtown Los Angeles theater where Saturday's mayoral debate took place after he was excluded.
Other candidates in the race include former talk show host Kevin James and city council member Jan Perry, who along with Gruel and Garcetti participated in the debate.
