This year was no different. Incumbents, Feinstein, Genser and Bloom who have been endorsed by the influential tenants group Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights, are part of the council's SMRR super-majority. Katz is a vocal critic of the SMRR-controlled council. Like Feinstein, Councilman Paul Rosenstein, who will not seek re-election, did not receive the association's endorsement in his independent bid in1996. He did, however, get the unions' backing as a SMRR candidate in 1992.
Candidates covet the endorsement of the police officers union and for good reason.
Cameron said the group is one of the top power brokers in the City, behind SMRR and the Chamber of Commerce. They are very active politically in the City. More so than in most cities. Former councilman Bob Gabriel said that without the endorsement candidates may have a more difficult time campaigning. Bloom, who was elected to the council last year in a special election, said that getting the endorsement a second time was not anything he took for granted.