Bill Bloomfield Jr., a prominent CEO of Baron Real Estate, will run as an independent in California's new 33rd Congressional District, challenging longtime Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman.

Bill Bloomfield Jr. has filed to run as an independent against veteran Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman. The unexpected challenge means that both Rep. Waxman and his colleague Rep. Howard Berman (CA-30) face their first serious election year challenges since their first terms in office. The namesakes of the nationally renowned "Berman-Waxman Machine" have dominated West-LA politics for the past 30 years.

Berman faces a challenge from fellow Democrat, Rep. Brad Sherman as a result of independent redistricting that collapsed their strongly Democratic districts into one.

While Democrats hold a 16 point advantage over Republicans in district voter registration, Decline to State voter population comes in at over 22%.

Bloomfield is a board member at UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation, Bolton & Company Insurance, Criminal Justice League Foundation and Hartland Insurance Agency. He graduated from UC Berkeley and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

It is widely believed Bloomfield is capable of self-funding and running a high quality campaign against Rep. Waxman.  He is the the latest in a handful of independents to jump into California congressional races in 2012, the first year under the new open primary system.