By Jorge Casuso

June 22, 2012 -- After falling fewer than 60 votes short in his 2010 bid for City Council, Planning Commission Ted Winterer announced Friday that will make his third run for council in November.

Considered a champion of the slow-growth movement, Winterer won the backing of Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) two years ago and almost defeated Robert Holbrook, who has sat on the dais since 1990, making him the longest serving council member.

With Mayor Richard Bloom headed into a runoff for State Assembly District 50, and  Council member Shriver likely not to seek a third term, Winterer would be vying against two incumbents in the race for four open council seats.  

“Two years ago I almost prevailed in a race where all of the incumbents sought reelection," Winterer said in a statement announcing his candidacy. "This year, with at least one and possibly two incumbents not seeking an additional term on the Council, I’m cautiously optimistic about my chances for success.”

Winterer joins challengers Frank Gruber, an attorney and former Lookout columnist; education advocate Shari Davis and community activist Jerry Rubin, as well as incumbents Gleam Davis and Terry O'Day, all of whom have announced their candidacies.

After being elected co-chair of the Ocean Park Community Organization (OPCO) and serving on the City's Parks and Recs Commission, Winterer entered the local political arena in 2008.

That year, he entered the race for four open council seats and was one of the authors of Prop T, a measure on the November 2008 ballot to cap most commercial development at 75,000 square feet a year for 15 years.

Prop T -- which was opposed by bother developers and top civic leaders -- failed, and Winterer, who was one of the leaders of the movement to curb development finished a distant fifth, behind the four council incumbents.

But in 2010, Winterer, who was appointed by the council to the Planning Commission, won the highly coveted SMRR endorsement and nearly unseated Holbrook, who finished third, garnering 12,775 votes to Winterer's 12,719.

After his 2008 bid, Winterer became a key player in Santa Monica politics. He fell one vote shy of being appointed by the council in February 2009 to fill the seat vacated after the death of Council member Herb Katz, a seat that went to Gleam Davis.

One year later, he entered the fray to replace Council member Ken Genser after his death, but again failed to win a seat on the dais, with O'Day getting the nod.

But with two incumbents likely out of the race and a strong anti-growth constituency building within SMRR, Winterer could be a strong candidate in the November 6 election.  

“I’m also bullish on Santa Monica,” Winterer said in his statement. “Our town has faced substantial challenges in recent years due largely to global economic headwinds and the continued dysfunction of state government.

"But I believe we will thrive in the future and continue to provide a first rate Police and Fire Department and other services for our residents," Winterer said.

But Winterer's campaign will likely focus on curbing development at a time when the council is in the process of negotiating a record number of development agreements. ("Development Agreements Continue to Rise in Santa Monica," February 7, 2012)

"The real challenges ahead, given how desirable Santa Monica has become as a place to live, work, recreate and invest, will be to maintain our socioeconomic diversity, advocacy for social justice and beach town character,” Winterer wrote.