The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ 2nd District race heats up Thursday night with a debate between L.A. City Councilman Bernard Parks and 26th District State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas. The race has proven a bit bruising as business, labor and African-American leaders have had to choose between endorsing one of the two black politicians.

Thursday’s debate at the Westside Jewish Community Center starts at 6:30 p.m., with the site being in both the Ridley-Thomas 26th state senate district and also Parks’ 8th city council district. The county’s 2nd District extends further south than the area that either man currently represents but it covers traditional L.A. black political turf including Compton, Carson and Watts. Current 2nd District board member Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke is not seeking re-election.

The endorsement war finds Parks, the former Los Angeles Police Department chief, securing a nod from the L.A. County Business Federation. Ridley-Thomas is endorsed by the L.A. County Federation of Labor.