Not Presidential Candidate Eric Garcetti Hamptons With Megadonor

LOS ANGELES, CA — In addition to personal travel and a political stop in New Hampshire, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's two weeks out of the state will include cocktails in the Hamptons this weekend at the estate of billionaire Ronald Perelman, it was reported Friday.

New York Times reporter Shane Goldmacher first reported on the event and defined it as a "meet-and-greet." Garcetti spokesman Yusef Robb confirmed it was happening, defining it as "a purely social event."

Perelman, owner of McAndrews & Forbes, is a major political donor who has supported both Republicans and Democrats, Goldmacher noted, and the event comes amid growing speculation that Garcetti is considering a run for president in 2020 -- speculation that will likely grow as a result of the trip to New Hampshire, which traditionally hosts the first presidential primary.

When asked by reporters several times over the last few months, Garcetti has not ruled out a run for president. His stop in New Hampshire on Monday is to support Manchester mayoral candidate Joyce Craig.

``Democrats are working together to lift each other up across the country," New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley said. ``We're excited that Mayor Garcetti, who has done such a tremendous job in Los Angeles, is throwing his support and his energy behind a great leader like Joyce Craig. With his help, we will be that much closer to making history in Manchester."

This is Garcetti's sixth major trip out of Southern California since May and his second personal vacation since June, when he left the state for a weeklong vacation before attending the 85th annual United States Conference of Mayors meeting in Miami Beach.

City News Service