By Jorge Casuso

August 3, 2010 -- Council member Robert Holbrook will wait until the Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) steering committee meets Wednesday evening to decide whether he will seek a two or a four-year seat on the council, The Lookout has learned.

That's when leaders of the powerful tenants' group will vote on whether to endorse SMRR incumbent Pam O'Connor for the final slot in the race for three four-year seats on the council. O'Connor failed to win the necessary 55 percent of the floor vote at Sunday's SMRR convention. ("SMRR Council Endorsements go to 3 Incumbents and Winterer, Not O’Connor," August 2, 2010)

Holbrook has indicated he would seek a two-year seat if SMRR endorses five candidates in the council race, which would happen with a late endorsement for O'Connor.

"I could run for either" a two-year or four-year seat, Holbrook told The Lookout Tuesday afternoon. "I think it's likely they might not endorse Pam."

O'Connor -- who is seeking a fifth four-year term -- needs eight votes cast by the 12-member committee to join incumbent Kevin McKeown and Planning Commissioner Ted Winterer on the SMRR ticket in the race for three four-year seats.

The group already has endorsed incumbents Gleam Davis and Terry O'Day -- who were appointed by the council after the deaths of Ken Genser and Herb Katz -- in the race for two two-year council seats.

The two-year seat appeals to Holbrook -- who has served on the council 20 years -- because it would allow him to run together with Mayor Bobby Shriver in the 2012 race for four council seats if the Kennedy family member chooses to seek a third term.

It also would pit him in a race against Davis and O’Day, candidates Hollbrook defeated handily in 2006, and set him up to run in the 2012 race for four seats, instead of the current three.

“I would rather be on the council cycle of four people being elected,” Holbrook told The Lookout. “I could run with Bobby, and that could be a lot of fun.”

A local paper reported Tuesday that Holbrook had made up his mind to run for a four-year seat, but Holbrook says he did so after the reporter informed him the steering committee would not meet before the filing deadline Friday.

"I was told they're not meeting for two weeks," Holbrook said.

At Sunday's convention, SMRR Co-chair Patricia Hoffman told those in attendance that the steering committee must make a decision "within two weeks."

Wednesday's steering committee meeting was scheduled several months ago, according to SMRR leaders.

The steering committee on Wednesday also is scheduled to vote on whether to round out the ticket in the race for four school board seats.

Incumbents Oscar de la Torre, Ralph Mechur and challenger Nimish Patel are all seeking the group's nod after failing to win the necessary 55 percent at the convention.

Incumbent Barry Snell and challenger Laurie Lieberman received endorsements following the first round of voting Sunday.

Holbrook said the SMRR endorsement no longer carries the clout it once did and noted that many who attended the convention were homeowners there for the first time to support specific candidates.

"Watching their whole group I always chuckled (that) the leaders of the renters group are homeowners," Holbrook said. "After watching that convention, it surprised me that at the base level it's run by homeowners.

"It's a good endorsement, but I don't think it's better than police or fire," Holbrook said. "I don't think they have the money."