First of two parts

No stranger to City Council races, Marcus Tiggs, Republican, inaugurated his new campaign on the loveliest late autumn Sunday of the year with a stunning new distinction polished to a high gloss for the April election.

Mr. Tiggs, a soft-spoken bankruptcy attorney, announced he was identifying publicly for the first time as a Republican yesterday, a well-received opening day at the Jasmine Avenue home of Mr. Culver City, Mike Cohen.

In a community reputed to be more Democratic than the Democratic National Committee, one needs only a single thumb to count the GOP’ers elected to the Council this century. Steve Rose.

Of the 22,000 registered voters in Culver City, slightly more than a quarter, 6,000 are Republicans. They have not yet been called a force or recognized for packing clout.

Among the most recognizable guests were two members of the City Council, Mayor Jeff Cooper and Goran Eriksson.

Question: How will this campaign differ from your first two City Council races?

Mr. Tiggs: “This time I am going to win.”

Question: What can you do to make that happen?

Mr. Tiggs: “It’s a trade secret. I am going to win. And this is going to be fun, too.”

Question: What have you learned from two attempts?

Mr. Tiggs: “A lot of stuff. I learned many things I did wrong. There were some good things I did. I guess in a way (I did not win) because of inexperience. I had a really good team. But I was not listening as much as I should have.”

(To be continued)