There are now just two months until the Los Angeles mayoral election slated for June 2. The candidates are in full campaign-mode as they attempt to sway voters in what appears to be a crowded field of 14 contenders, including incumbent Karen Bass, who is seeking to keep her job.
Angelenos will decide on June 2 who they want in the city’s top job, with Los Angeles facing some of its biggest years ahead, including two major events — the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — which will draw millions of visitors and present numerous challenges.
If no candidate secures a clear majority (i.e., more than 50% of the vote), the top two candidates will head to a runoff on November 5 to decide the city’s next leader.
A quarter of voters are still on the fence — roughy 25% are undecided on which candidate to pick.
Below is a list of candidates in order of their standing in polls, along with their campaign messaging and key points to note.
The current mayor came into her role after defeating real estate mogul and once-hopeful mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, securing nearly 55% of the vote in 2022.
Before becoming mayor, Bass was a U.S. Representative (2011–2022), serving California’s 37th district, chairing the Congressional Black Caucus, and working as a California State Assembly member (2005–2010), where she became the first Black woman to serve as Speaker. She is also the first woman to lead the city.
Bass’ reelection bid is primarily centered on her efforts to make the city safer, more affordable, and to continue addressing the homelessness crisis through her “Inside Safe” initiative.
The incumbent still leads the pack, albeit with just 25% of voter support — but roughly 25% of Angelenos are still undecided, according to a Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/Los Angeles Times poll. A majority — 56% of likely voters — view the mayor negatively, while just 13% say they have no opinion.
Bass’s declining support is tied, in large part, to her handling of the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed some 6,800 structures — including the home of mayoral contender Pratt. Bass has also faced questions about whether her office influenced edits to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s after-action report on the Palisades Fire to cast officials in a more favorable light.
Coming in a close second is ultra-left-wing candidate with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) affiliation, Nithya Raman, who currently serves as the Los Angeles City Councilmember for the 4th district, a role she has held since 2020. Raman is a member of the Democratic Party and the DSA.
Prior to entering politics, Raman founded and led a homelessness nonprofit in Los Angeles and was the executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment. She became a naturalized American citizen at the age of 22 and was born in Kerala, India.
Many critics and supporters alike have described her as L.A.’s Zohran Mamdani, comparing her to the current political leadership in New York City.
Raman’s platform includes proposed reforms to Los Angeles’ housing and homelessness policies, “a new approach to public safety,” and a climate change plan that she claims will bring Los Angeles to carbon neutrality by 2030.
The same poll that found Bass leading has Raman in a close second at 17%. Another controversial poll conducted by Loyola Marymount University found that nearly half of Los Angeles voters are open to a democratic socialist leading the nation’s second-largest city.
Raman polled at 32.5% support, while about 47.7% of voters said they preferred a socialist candidate over other options, such as a “moderate, business-oriented Democrat” or a “conservative political outsider.”
If the election were held today, Bass and Raman would advance to a runoff in November.
American reality TV star Spencer Pratt has been a rare and unexpected entrant into the Los Angeles mayoral race, announcing his run during a rally seeking more action and justice for those who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire. Pratt and his wife lost their home in the deadly fires.
Pratt has been one of Bass’s most vocal critics as he makes his bid to replace her and lead the second-largest city in the nation.
Pratt is best known as the “villain” on MTV’s hit series The Hills (2007–2010), where his relationship with Heidi Montag was a central storyline. He has also appeared on The Princes of Malibu, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, and the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother.
His campaign stems from the “They Let Us Burn” movement, created after the fatal Jan. 7, 2025, fire that killed 12 people and destroyed his home. He accuses local officials of negligence and is suing the city, alleging that a key reservoir was empty during the blaze.
He has pledged to eradicate homeless encampments in parks and streets and vowed that “we’re not going to do fentanyl in the streets.” Pratt also plans to replace current political appointees on the fire and police commissions with veteran experts.
His critics point to his lack of political experience to lead a city as large, populous, and internationally significant as Los Angeles.
It’s a long shot for Raeg Huang, a 43-year-old community organizer, minister, and dues-paying member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, who is throwing her hat into the mayoral race.
She is the other DSA-affiliated candidate in the race, and so far, the DSA has not endorsed anyone else.
The relatively unknown candidate serves as deputy director of Housing NOW! California, a coalition fighting tenant displacement at the state and local levels. Huang has built her campaign on progressive housing policies, tenant protections, and community-focused reforms, positioning herself as a bold alternative in a crowded field dominated by higher-profile contenders.
Coming just two percentage points behind the leaders is Adam Miller, a tech entrepreneur and CEO of the nonprofit Better Angels. A Los Angeles resident for 35 years, Miller founded Cornerstone OnDemand from his apartment while in debt, eventually growing it into a 3,000-employee multinational company.
Positioning himself as an outsider with a record of solving complex problems in both the private and social sectors, he has faced criticism from Mayor Karen Bass’s office, which has dismissed him as a “wealthy venture capitalist.”
Civil rights attorney Andrew K. Kim, born in South Korea, came to the U.S. at 14 under a special immigrant visa for working with American troops. A longtime Los Angeles resident, Kim opened his own solo law firm, the Law Offices of Andrew Kim, in Mid-Wilshire after passing the California Bar.
He has also served as a Los Angeles County Commissioner for the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Commission and as a temporary judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Asaad Alnajjar is a civil and structural engineer with more than 35 years at the City of Los Angeles. He currently serves as the city’s engineering manager and has helped lead the design and construction of dozens of light rail and rapid bus projects, while also overseeing decades of sidewalk repairs.
His campaign focuses on homelessness, public safety, budget accountability, and a technical, engineering-driven approach to modernizing city operations.
Political scientist Juanita Lopez is running for mayor with a focus on fresh perspectives and practical solutions. Her campaign emphasizes community empowerment, economic transparency, sustainable growth, and tackling issues such as reinstating the no-littering law and cutting the sales tax to 8%.
Grammy-nominated songwriter and entertainer Tish Hyman is running for mayor, promising to tackle homelessness, boost safety, and revitalize the city. Her campaign focuses on reducing encampments, reviving Hollywood’s economy, and making Los Angeles the “nightlife capital of America” — safely.
First-generation American, openly gay Latino, and small business owner Bryant Acosta is running for mayor, promising to challenge what he calls a corrupt and stagnant establishment. His campaign centers on transparency, accountability, housing stability, and using culture and technology to unite communities.
Nelson Cheng is running for mayor, criticizing Bass for a “weak response” to wildfires and worsening homelessness. His campaign focuses on supporting young people, reducing traffic and rent, improving Metro service, and broader citywide reforms.
Neighborhood Council board member John Logsdon is running for mayor, though his campaign website and social media offer limited details about his platform. He currently serves on the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa.
Born in Santa Monica, second-generation Ukrainian American Andrej A. Selivra is a UCLA political science graduate with 15 years in technical project development. His campaign focuses on housing, transportation, and community empowerment, including proposals for public dormitories and addressing rising rent costs.
Suzy Kim, a mental health professional, is running for mayor, though no detailed campaign platform or active social media presence could be found.
