Torristas and Molinistas facts for kids
_(cropped).jpg) .jpg) Art Torres (left, 2019) and Gloria Molina (right, 2007)
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Torristas and Molinistas describes a political rivalry in Los Angeles, California, during the late 1900s. It was like the famous feuds between the Montagues and Capulets or the Hatfields and McCoys. This term came from the strong disagreements between two important politicians, Art Torres and Gloria Molina, and their supporters.
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What Was the Torristas and Molinistas Rivalry?
This rivalry was a political disagreement between two groups of people in Los Angeles. One group supported Art Torres, and they were called the Torristas. The other group supported Gloria Molina, and they were known as the Molinistas. These two politicians were very important in the Latino community in Los Angeles. Their disagreement shaped local politics for many years.
How Did the Rivalry Start?
The "Eastside" of Los Angeles refers to neighborhoods east of the Los Angeles River. These areas, like Boyle Heights, El Sereno, and Lincoln Heights, have many Mexican American residents. For a long time, Mexican Americans had few elected leaders.
- In 1972, Richard Alatorre was elected to the California Assembly.
- In 1974, Art Torres was also elected to the Assembly.
These elections gave Torres and Alatorre a lot of power in Eastside politics. They became very influential.
The 1981 Redistricting and Key Decisions
The conflict began after new political maps were drawn in 1981. This process is called redistricting. Torres and Alatorre made some important decisions about who would run for different political jobs:
- Art Torres decided to run for the 24th State Senate district.
- Richard Polanco was chosen to run for the 56th Assembly District. This was the seat Torres was leaving.
Gloria Molina had worked for Art Torres before. She also worked for other important leaders like Willie Brown and President Jimmy Carter. Molina wanted to run for the 56th Assembly District. However, Torres and Alatorre told her that Polanco was their chosen candidate.
Gloria Molina's Challenge and Victory
Despite being told no, Gloria Molina decided to run for the 56th Assembly District anyway. She ran against Richard Polanco, the candidate chosen by Torres and Alatorre. Molina won the election!
Her victory created a big split in Eastside politics. By winning, Molina showed that she could build her own political power. She also opened the door for other Latina women to follow her into politics.
Key Moments in the Rivalry
The rivalry continued as these politicians moved into different roles.
- In 1985, Richard Alatorre became the first Latino to represent District 14 on the Los Angeles City Council since Ed Roybal.
- In 1987, Gloria Molina ran for the District 1 city council seat. She defeated Larry Gonzalez, who was an ally of Alatorre.
There were often public disagreements between Alatorre and Molina on the city council.
Molina Defeats Torres
A major moment happened in February 1991. Gloria Molina was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. This is a very powerful position in Los Angeles County. She won the election for the First Supervisorial District. In this race, she defeated her former mentor, Art Torres. This victory showed how much political strength Molina had gained.
Who Else Was Involved?
Many other politicians were part of either the Torristas or Molinistas groups. Some of these people included:
- Lucille Roybal-Allard
- Xavier Becerra
- Richard Polanco
- Hilda Solis
The rivalry even played a role in the 2001 race for mayor of Los Angeles. In that election, Xavier Becerra ran against Antonio Villaraigosa. People often saw this as another example of the ongoing political divisions.
