Prior to entering politics, Alarcon worked as a student teacher at
John H. Francis Polytechnic High School, San Fernando Middle School, and Mary Immaculate School in
Pacoima, Los Angeles. Alarcon first served as an assistant to Los Angeles Mayor
Tom Bradley before winning a seat on the
city council to represent the
7th district in 1993. One year into his second term as a city councilman, Alarcon resigned to become a member of the
California State Senate, representing the
20th district. Term limits prevented him from seeking a third Senate term in December 2006. Among Alarcon's accomplishments while in the California Senate were workers' compensation reform and recovery funding for the community of
Northridge following the
1994 Northridge earthquake. Alarcon served as majority whip during all of his eight years in the State Senate. In 2005, Alarcon ran for mayor of Los Angeles. He finished in fifth place with less than 2% of the vote, behind
Bernard Parks,
Bob Hertzberg, incumbent
James Hahn, and
Antonio Villaraigosa. After serving as a state senator for eight years, in 2006 Alarcon ran unopposed in
California's 39th State Assembly district representing the San Fernando Valley area. Shortly after winning the Assembly seat, Alarcon announced his intention to try to return to the city council, replacing
Alex Padilla, who was resigning after winning Alarcon's former State Senate seat. In the special election, held in March, Alarcon won easily (receiving 54% to 29% for his closest opponent). He resigned from the Assembly soon thereafter. His 102-day tenure in the Assembly was the shortest service in the California legislature since 1981, excluding one person elected but not sworn in as part of a legal settlement. After serving out Padilla's city council term, Alarcon was elected to one more full term in 2009. He left the council in 2013. == Personal life ==