Gloves off in LA mayor's race: Bass, Raman began attacking each other

[Celerity]

After NBC News projected Nithya Raman will advance to the November runoff, the incumbent Mayor Karen Bass kicked off her general election campaign.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/los-angeles-mayor-race-nithya-raman-karen-bass/3901980/ (video at the link)



The days of pleasantries may be over between Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilwoman: the former allies at LA City Hall began touting their own accomplishments on Tuesday while criticizing each other's records. Bass Tuesday held an event in Boyle Heights to kick off her general election campaign. Without mentioning Spencer Pratt, who is expected to finish third in the primary race, the incumbent mayor appeared laser focused on Raman while expressing her confidence for reelection. "Last Tuesday, we won. And in November, we will again," Bass said, standing with a group of immigrant advocates, union and business leaders as well as those in the film industry.

Bass, who has successfully brought together different communities throughout her political career, once against highlighted her coalition as the backbone of her campaign. "Our victory was the result of the coalition that we built," Bass said. "I ask you to look behind me because this is Los Angeles. This is what Los Angeles looks like." As the incumbent mayor touted a decrease in homelessness and crime during her first term, she claimed Raman voted "repeatedly to allow encampments near schools." Raman did vote against a homeless encampment ban in 2022. "This is the time for steady, capable leadership," she said.

Former Council President Paul Krekorian said unlike Raman, Mayor Bass has an ability to bring people together, highlighting not a single member of the city council, including progressive councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez, Eunisses Hernandez and Ysabel Jurado, endorsed Raman. After the primary election results came out, NBC Los Angeles' Jonathan Gonzalez reached out to all LA city councilmembers. Only four, Adrin Nazarian, Imelda Padilla, John Lee and Tim McOsker, responded, saying they are putting their support behind Bass.



Councilmember Raman did not speak on camera on Tuesday as she attended a city council meeting and committee meeting at City Hall. But she released a video statement, emphasizing what her campaign has overcome so far. “A few months ago this campaign was a long shot, but what we did have was a vision for Los Angeles -- a place where working people can build a future," Raman said in the video. Meanwhile, Spencer Pratt subtly broke silence via a social media post with a picture of a duck. NBC Los Angeles reached out to Pratt's campaign but did not hear back as of Tuesday.


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[Ilikepurple]

1. Not much noted in the way of attacks, but will be interesting to follow their respective campaigns.

Not OP’s issue, but I wish journalists articles had a deeper connect with their headlines. Sometimes people just make critical statements that don’t amount slamming, attacking, bashing, or other misleading descriptives.
The following are the worst attacks I could find.
[S]he (Bass) claimed Raman voted "repeatedly to allow encampments near schools."
“A few months ago this campaign was a long shot, but what we did have was a vision for Los Angeles -- a place where working people can build a future," Raman said.