Los Angeles Mayoral Race Features Bass and Raman

As Los Angeles voters face a tightening mayoral race heading toward late October, polls show that more than 40% of emergency 911 calls go unanswered within the state-mandated 15-second window, while less urgent calls can take up to an hour to reach an operator, according to reporting by ms.now.

How a Former Reality Star Upended the Mayoral Contest

The race in America’s second-largest city features an unusual dynamic as voters weigh their options between unpopular incumbent Karen Bass and left-wing challenger Nithya Raman. Susie Tho, an entrepreneur and mother in Mid-Wilshire, voted for former reality show star Spencer Pratt in the city’s June primary. Tho attended an October event for Raman at the Mid-Wilshire restaurant Gritz N Wafflez because she remained undecided on her final vote. Pratt, a Republican who lost his home in the 2025 Palisades fire, continues to rage-post about city leadership and his former rivals, describing Bass and Raman as “Dumb and Dumber” while giving voice to deep-seated frustrations across the political spectrum.

Voters point to deteriorating municipal conditions as a driving factor in their dissatisfaction. Tho cited a growing rat problem in Koreatown, adding that sanitation is poor, homelessness is worsening, and local businesses are closing. Comedian Heidi Prazloff, who voted for Bass in 2022, told me she is now canvassing for Raman in Eagle Rock, stating that change is necessary because Los Angeles feels stagnant.

Municipal Failures and Escalating Crises Across Los Angeles

Beyond the political friction, city infrastructure and public services face severe strain. Despite a surge in spending, homelessness increased last year following two consecutive years of declines, with more than $2 billion in allocated funds missing, ms.now reported. Basic municipal maintenance is faltering, highlighted by constant water main breaks and virtually nonexistent street repaving. Meanwhile, the people mover project at Los Angeles International Airport sits more than $1 billion over budget and past its original 2023 completion date, running empty test trains with no operational launch in sight.

Economic headwinds compound these local issues. While Hollywood struggles, the state of New York is on the verge of overtaking California in film production spending. Bass took more than two years to appoint a film liaison during a period of guild strikes and declining production. Compounding these burdens, a super El Niño climate pattern brought unprecedented humidity and mosquitoes to a region unaccustomed to the pests, which in turn drove up residential power bills.

Political Vulnerabilities Facing the Major Candidates

Raman, who moved to Los Angeles in 2013, has occasionally shown unfamiliarity with the city, praising the controversial policing methods of former police chief Daryl Gates during a recent debate. Raman faces criticism from constituents over unresponsive City Council offices, and not a single council colleague has endorsed her campaign.

Incumbent Karen Bass confronts widespread voter anger over municipal neglect, including a two-year delay in naming a film liaison and a recent rollout of restaurant permitting reforms that prompted social media users to question whether she only just remembered her executive title. While Raman campaigns on accountability and detailed plans to streamline film permits, restaurant openings, and housing construction, her proposed reversal of encampment crackdowns near schools alienates voters who share Pratt’s law-and-order platform.