Villaraigosa in the fight of his political life as primary election for California governor nears
LOS ANGELES_Antonio Villaraigosa, whose meteoric rise in California politics was viewed as the embodiment of burgeoning Latino political power, is now having to defend his own turf in the city he once led in hopes of advancing in next week's gubernatorial primary.
Multiple polls, including one released Thursday by the University of California, Berkeley, show GOP businessman John Cox edging out the former Los Angeles mayor for second place in the June 5 primary. In California's primary system, the top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of party.
Villaraigosa and his allies are working feverishly to make sure that does not happen.
Wealthy charter-school backers launched a $2.3-million ad blitz this week attacking Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic front-runner, as
