Kamala Harris Endorses L.a. Mayor Karen Bass For Reelection

Former Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for reelection connected Monday.

“Mayor Karen Bass is nan leader Los Angeles needs correct now. She has done what truthful galore said couldn’t beryllium done — nan first ever two-year diminution successful homelessness, reducing crime to levels this metropolis hasn’t seen since nan 1960s, and refusing to backmost down erstwhile nan national authorities came aft our neighbors,” Harris said successful a statement. “She has my afloat support for re-election.”

The endorsement comes arsenic ballots person begun arriving successful Californians’ mailboxes astatine a captious infinitesimal successful nan title to lead nan nation’s second-largest city. Although Bass leads successful polls, she is viewed unfavorably by galore Angelenos for her perceived deficiency of activity successful nan aftermath of nan devastating Palisades fire.

A 4th of voters supported Bass successful a March canvass by nan UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by The Times. City Councilmember Nithya Raman had nan backing of 17%, and blimpish reality TV prima Spencer Pratt had 14%. A 4th of voters were undecided.

Though Bass led nan different salient mayoral candidates, governmental strategists opportunity nan numbers are troubling for nan incumbent because she is facing disconnected against lesser-known rivals and because 56% viewed her unfavorably. And Pratt and Raman had raised much money than Bass this twelvemonth done April 18, according to fundraising disclosures revenge pinch nan city’s Ethics Commission. However, Bass had astir $2.3 cardinal successful nan slope because she started fundraising for reelection 2 years ago.

Though Bass and Harris were rivals to beryllium selected arsenic statesmanlike nominee Joe Biden’s moving mate successful 2020, nan 2 Democrats person known each different for much than 2 decades and person a agelong shared history. Bass was sworn successful by Harris arsenic nan 43rd mayor of Los Angeles successful 2022. Two years later, astatine nan Democratic National Convention wherever Harris became nan party’s statesmanlike nominee, Bass said astir moving pinch her much than a decade agone connected youth homelessness and fixing nan kid use system erstwhile Bass led nan California Assembly and Harris was a authorities prosecutor.

Harris besides endorsed Rob Bonta for reelection arsenic authorities lawyer general, Malia Cohen for reelection arsenic authorities controller and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis for authorities treasurer. Here’s a look astatine those races and nan remainder connected nan ballot.