Olympic Gold Medalist Rafer Johnson Backs Howard Berman

[The information below was provided by the office of Rep. Howard Berman].

Rep. Howard Berman announced Wednesdsay that Olympic Gold Medalist and celebrated community leader Rafer Johnson has endorsed his campaign for California’s 30th Congressional District. Johnson had previously lent his support to Brad Sherman.

“I have decided to retract my endorsement from Brad Sherman and to solely support your candidacy,” stated Rafer Johnson in his letter to Congressman Berman.

“The stakes in the upcoming election are incredibly high,” wrote Johnson. “At no time in recent history have we needed your commitment to social justice, legislative expertise and common sense working for us more.”

“Janis and I are extremely grateful for Rafer and Betsy’s support,” said Congressman Berman.  “We hold their decades of dedicated service to the Valley in the highest regard and look forward to partnering with them in the future to build a stronger community.”

Rafer Johnson, a gold-medal decathlete, founded the Special Olympics of Southern California in 1969 and lit the torch signaling the opening of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Johnson joins scores of California leaders who also stand with Congressman Berman including: Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Governor Jerry Brown and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. His campaign is also supported by all five members of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors: Mike Antonovich, Don Knabe, Zev Yaroslavsky, Gloria Molina, and Mark Ridley-Thomas.