After saying she would sit out next year's campaign, former Rep. Bobbi Fielder announced last week that she is backing Jim Hahn again, Rick Orlov notes in the Daily News. Fiedler, a Republican, was a high-profile supporter of Hahn in 2001 and also helped his anti-secession campaign. She says: "I have worked with the mayor on a number of issues and I think he is the best man for the job." Earlier, Hahn got secession bankroller Bert Boeckmann and councilman Greig Smith, who represents the northwest Valley. Bob Hertzberg is counting on crucial Valley votes too, and has gotten some other Valley figures, including secession leader David Fleming and Keith Richman, the Republican assemblyman who won the Valley mayor vote in the 2002 secession election. Also: Orlov reports that both parties are fleeing Los Angeles on election night. The Democrats moved their main California victory party to San Francisco, and the Republicans are taking theirs to Orange County.

In the Times, Noam Levey reports on a challenge to the leadership of firefighters union presdient Pat McOsker, who has pledged to put the union's money behind Hahn's reelection. His brother Tim is the mayor's chief of staff.