Larry Agran
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Alan "Larry" Agran (born February 2, 1945 in Chicago
) is a former mayor
of Irvine, California
, Orange County
's noted planned city. Agran currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem on the City Council.
in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in both history
and economics
. He then earned a Juris Doctor
(with honors) from Harvard Law School
in 1969, specializing in public interest law.
Agran served as Legal Counsel to the California State Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare, and taught legislation and public policy at the UCLA School of Law and the University of California, Irvine
Graduate School of Management.
, including 6 years as Mayor (Irvine employs a council-manager government
).
Larry Agran rejoined the Irvine
City Council and has, for many years, served as a city councilman; he chaired the City’s Great Park board until February 2011. (The board is charged with planning, constructing and operating a new park of nearly 1500 acres (6.1 km²) at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Base in Irvine.) The fully funded, nearly $70 million Great Park Western Sector Park Development plan is in its first phase, and the North Lawn multi-use area is expected to open to the public in spring 2011. Construction was about to begin in early 2011 on an arts and culture area, to be followed by construction of three lighted soccer fields. A leased agricultural area of 114 acre (0.46134204 km²) produced its first crop of strawberries and the newly opened Great Park Carousel had more than 25,000 riders in the first two months of 2011.
. The media did not report his polling numbers even as he met or exceeded the support of other candidates such as Jerry Brown
. Party officials excluded him from most debates on various grounds, even having him arrested when he interrupted to ask to participate. Even when he managed to join the other candidates in a forum, his ideas went unreported.
A mayor of the largest planned city in the United States, he entered the race but he had little media coverage. Ironically, despite holding only a local office and being little known outside California
in a poll on January 22, 1992 he tied with two well-known national politicians: Senator Tom Harkin
of Iowa
and the former Governor of his home state Jerry Brown
.
Some people, like ARG pollster Dick Bennett thought that, had that surprise strength in the polls been played up by news organizations the result might well have been a further rise in the polls. However, Bennett said, the press completely ignored the story, and he began to sink.
Because of lack of coverage, Agran's early success would not help his campaign, and he remained little known.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors
led to the first significant mention of his campaign in The New York Times
. In a January 24 article, Richard Berke noted that, after listening to the candidates, "dozens of Mayors . . . seemed to agree on one thing: the single candidate who truly understands urban needs is Larry Agran". Some major candidates also participated. Despite the fact that Agran was awarded by his colleagues as the most experienced in the urban area themes, his performance did not meet a big response in media.
According to Carole Florman, organizer of the Global Warming Leadership Forum in Tallahassee in February (in which Agran participated), "the audience "was more enthusiastic about Larry Agran than about Bill Clinton
".
Despite his success in these events, Agran performed poorly in the New Hampshire
primary, but did pick up modest support in later primaries as a protest candidate
with appeal to those unhappy with the other candidates. He received three votes at the 1992 Democratic National Convention
.
Agran was barred from every TV debate along with some other minor candidates, such as Eugene McCarthy
.
Mayor Agran and his bid has been viewed as an example of an experienced candidate whose campaign was successfully stopped by the media.
. Agran continues to serve on Irvine's City Council.
NOTE: Although Agran is a Democrat, offices in Irvine are formally nonpartisians
Race for Mayor of Irvine, 2000
1992 Democratic National Convention
United States presidential election, 1992
(Democratic primary)
Including write-in candidates.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) is a former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
's noted planned city. Agran currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem on the City Council.
Early life
Agran graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in both history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. He then earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(with honors) from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1969, specializing in public interest law.
Agran served as Legal Counsel to the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
Committee on Health and Welfare, and taught legislation and public policy at the UCLA School of Law and the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
Graduate School of Management.
City government
Between 1979 and 1990, he served on the city councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, including 6 years as Mayor (Irvine employs a council-manager government
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
).
Larry Agran rejoined the Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
City Council and has, for many years, served as a city councilman; he chaired the City’s Great Park board until February 2011. (The board is charged with planning, constructing and operating a new park of nearly 1500 acres (6.1 km²) at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Base in Irvine.) The fully funded, nearly $70 million Great Park Western Sector Park Development plan is in its first phase, and the North Lawn multi-use area is expected to open to the public in spring 2011. Construction was about to begin in early 2011 on an arts and culture area, to be followed by construction of three lighted soccer fields. A leased agricultural area of 114 acre (0.46134204 km²) produced its first crop of strawberries and the newly opened Great Park Carousel had more than 25,000 riders in the first two months of 2011.
Presidential candidacy
In 1992, Agran unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party nomination for President. Agran was generally ignored by the media during his candidacy, a topic heavily covered in the 1995 documentary SpinSpin (film)
Spin is a 1995 documentary film by Brian Springer composed of raw satellite feeds exposing politicians' pre-appearance planning. It covers, not only the United States presidential primaries, 1992 and presidential election, but also the LA riots as well as the Operation Rescue abortion...
. The media did not report his polling numbers even as he met or exceeded the support of other candidates such as Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
. Party officials excluded him from most debates on various grounds, even having him arrested when he interrupted to ask to participate. Even when he managed to join the other candidates in a forum, his ideas went unreported.
A mayor of the largest planned city in the United States, he entered the race but he had little media coverage. Ironically, despite holding only a local office and being little known outside California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in a poll on January 22, 1992 he tied with two well-known national politicians: Senator Tom Harkin
Tom Harkin
Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives ....
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and the former Governor of his home state Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
.
Some people, like ARG pollster Dick Bennett thought that, had that surprise strength in the polls been played up by news organizations the result might well have been a further rise in the polls. However, Bennett said, the press completely ignored the story, and he began to sink.
Because of lack of coverage, Agran's early success would not help his campaign, and he remained little known.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors, sometimes referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official...
led to the first significant mention of his campaign in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. In a January 24 article, Richard Berke noted that, after listening to the candidates, "dozens of Mayors . . . seemed to agree on one thing: the single candidate who truly understands urban needs is Larry Agran". Some major candidates also participated. Despite the fact that Agran was awarded by his colleagues as the most experienced in the urban area themes, his performance did not meet a big response in media.
According to Carole Florman, organizer of the Global Warming Leadership Forum in Tallahassee in February (in which Agran participated), "the audience "was more enthusiastic about Larry Agran than about Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
".
Despite his success in these events, Agran performed poorly in the New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
primary, but did pick up modest support in later primaries as a protest candidate
Protest vote
A protest vote is a vote cast in an election to demonstrate the caster's unhappiness with the choice of candidates or refusal of the current political system...
with appeal to those unhappy with the other candidates. He received three votes at the 1992 Democratic National Convention
1992 Democratic National Convention
The 1992 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for President and Senator Al Gore of Tennessee for Vice President; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New...
.
Agran was barred from every TV debate along with some other minor candidates, such as Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
.
Mayor Agran and his bid has been viewed as an example of an experienced candidate whose campaign was successfully stopped by the media.
Return to city government
In 1998, Agran re-entered public service as an Irvine City Council member. Agran was elected to serve as mayor once more on November 7, 2000, and was re-elected on November 5, 2002. The current mayor of Irvine is Sukhee KangSukhee Kang
Sukhee Kang is the current mayor of Irvine, California. Kang is a Korean American Democrat. On July 6, 2011, he announced his candidacy for the United States Congress...
. Agran continues to serve on Irvine's City Council.
Electoral history
Race for Mayor of Irvine, 2002- Larry Agran (Nonpartisan) - 19,886 (53.39%)
- Mike House (Nonpartisan) - 17,358 (46.61%)
NOTE: Although Agran is a Democrat, offices in Irvine are formally nonpartisians
Race for Mayor of Irvine, 2000
- Larry Agran (Nonpartisan) - 34,905 (100.00%) (unopposed)
1992 Democratic National Convention
1992 Democratic National Convention
The 1992 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for President and Senator Al Gore of Tennessee for Vice President; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New...
- Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
- 3,372 (80.27%) - Jerry BrownJerry BrownEdmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
- 596 (14.19%) - Paul TsongasPaul TsongasPaul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
- 209 (4.98%) - Robert P. CaseyRobert P. CaseyRobert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
- 10 (0.24%) - Patricia SchroederPatricia SchroederPatricia Nell Scott Schroeder , American politician, was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado, serving from 1973 to 1997. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado.- Early years :...
- 8 (0.19%) - Larry Agran - 3 (0.07%)
- Ron Daniels - 1 (0.02%)
- Al GoreAl GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
- 1 (0.02%) - Joe Simonetta 1 (0.02%)
United States presidential election, 1992
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
(Democratic primary)
- Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
- 10,482,411 (52.01%) - Jerry BrownJerry BrownEdmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
- 4,071,232 (20.20%) - Paul TsongasPaul TsongasPaul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
- 3,656,010 (18.14%) - Unpledged - 750,873 (3.73%)
- Bob KerreyBob KerreyJoseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey was the 35th Governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and a U.S. Senator from Nebraska . Having served in the Vietnam War, earning the Medal of Honor for his actions, he moved into politics. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992...
- 318,457 (1.58%) - Tom HarkinTom HarkinThomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives ....
- 280,304 (1.39%) - Lyndon LaRoucheLyndon LaRoucheLyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American political activist and founder of a network of political committees, parties, and publications known collectively as the LaRouche movement...
- 154,599 (0.77%) - Eugene McCarthyEugene McCarthyEugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
- 108,678 (0.54%) - Charles WoodsCharles WoodsCharles Woods was an Alabama businessman and broadcaster, and aspiring politician. Woods was raised in an orphanage. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II...
- 88,948 (0.44%) - Larry Agran - 58,611 (0.29%)
- Ross PerotRoss PerotHenry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
- 54,755 (0.27%) - Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
- 35,935 (0.18%) - Louis StokesLouis StokesLouis Stokes is a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives....
- 29,983 (0.15%) - Angus Wheeler McDonald - 9,900 (0.05%)
- J. Louis McAlpine - 7,911 (0.04%)
- George W. Benns - 7,887 (0.04%)
- Rufus T. Higginbotham - 7,705 (0.04%)
- Tom Howard Hawks - 7,434 (0.04%)
- Stephen Bruke - 5,261 (0.03%)
- Tom LaughlinTom LaughlinTom Laughlin is an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator and political activist. Laughlin is best known for his series of Billy Jack films. He has been married to Delores Taylor since 1954. Taylor has also co-produced and acted in all four of the Billy Jack films...
- 5,202 (0.03%) - Tom Shiekman - 4,965 (0.03%)
- Jeffrey F. Marsh - 2,445 (0.01%)
- George Ballard - 2,067 (0.01%)
- Ray Rollinson - 1,206 (0.01%)
- Leonora Fulani - 402 (0.00%)
- Douglas WilderDouglas WilderLawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was...
- 240 (0.00%)
Including write-in candidates.
External links
- City of Irvine biography
- NNDB profile
- Joshua MeyrowitzJoshua MeyrowitzJoshua Meyrowitz is a professor of communications at the department of Communication at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. He has published works regarding the effects of mass media, including No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behaviour, an analysis of the effects...
(1 March 1992), The press rejects a candidate. (coverage of presidential candidate Larry Agran). Columbia Journalism ReviewColumbia Journalism ReviewThe Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
. - Spin (documentary) by Brian SpringerBrian SpringerBrian Springer is an American television director and producer, and new media artist born in 1959.Brian Springer spent a year searching for footage grabbing back channel news feeds not intended for public consumption. The result of his research was Spin...