Emanuel Pleitez is the 26-year-old who may have played a bit of a spoiler role in the 32nd congressional district by taking votes from Gil Cedillo in the Democratic primary won by Judy Chu. Pleitez talks to The Eastsider LA about running for office, raising more than $200,000, and what happens now. Excerpt:

Q: Did the Cedillo campaign ad featuring some of your Facebook photos make you think twice about participating in politics?

A: No it didn't. If one wants to run for a high stakes office, one has to be ready for any opposition effort.

Cedillo, remember, ran ads portraying Pleitez and his friends — including the daughter of LAT columnist Sandy Banks — as partiers and slackers.