By Michael Phillips | CABayNews
Los Angeles voters are heading into a wide-open and increasingly volatile mayoral race, as the city prepares for a nonpartisan primary on June 2, 2026, with a runoff election on November 3, 2026 if no candidate clears the 50% threshold.
Incumbent Karen Bass, elected in 2022, is seeking a second term and remains the early frontrunner. But frustration over wildfire response, homelessness, public safety, housing affordability, and city finances has fueled a growing and unusually diverse field of challengers.
A City Under Pressure
Bass enters the race with the advantages of incumbency, but also with mounting criticism. The January 2025 wildfires, including the destructive Palisades Fire, reignited concerns about emergency preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and leadership during crises. At the same time, homelessness and housing costs remain stubbornly high, while public safety and budget constraints continue to dominate local debate.
These pressures have created political space for challengers ranging from seasoned administrators to grassroots activists and celebrity outsiders.
Declared and Prominent Candidates (as of mid-January 2026)
According to sources including Ballotpedia and early filings with the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, roughly 23–24 candidates have filed or declared. Most lack name recognition, but several stand out:
Karen Bass (Incumbent)
Bass is running on her progressive record, highlighting homelessness initiatives, housing programs, and recovery efforts following natural disasters. Her campaign emphasizes stability and continuity, arguing that long-term challenges require sustained leadership.
Austin Beutner
A former LAUSD superintendent, businessman, and ex-deputy mayor, Beutner announced his candidacy in October 2025. He has positioned himself as a serious managerial alternative, criticizing Bass over wildfire preparedness and broader city governance, while stressing accountability, housing production, and operational competence.
Rae Chen Huang
Sometimes listed as Rae Huang, Huang is a housing advocacy executive and community organizer running from the progressive left. Her platform centers on aggressive affordability policies, free transit, climate resiliency, and rejecting corporate or billionaire-backed political influence.
Spencer Pratt
Best known from The Hills, Pratt announced his run in early January 2026 at a rally marking one year since the Palisades Fire destroyed his home. Though a registered Republican, he stresses the race’s nonpartisan nature, framing his campaign around government accountability, fire response failures, and “exposing the system.”
Asaad Alnajjar
A Porter Ranch neighborhood councilor and civil engineer, Alnajjar was one of the earliest entrants. His campaign focuses on local infrastructure, engineering-driven solutions, and neighborhood-level problem solving.
Vincent Wali
A musician with limited public visibility so far, Wali appears in some official candidate lists but has not yet mounted a high-profile campaign.
New and Potential Entrants
Tish Hyman
Announcing her candidacy on January 15, 2026, Hyman entered the race with the slogan “UNITE IN TRUTH.” A Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and women’s safety activist, she has gained viral attention in recent years through confrontational activism around women-only spaces and public accountability. Her campaign is brand-new and grassroots, and she has not yet appeared in all major election trackers, but early social-media buzz suggests she could mobilize a nontraditional voter base.
Rick Caruso (Not Declared)
The billionaire developer and Bass’s 2022 runner-up remains the biggest unanswered question in the race. Caruso has been outspoken in criticizing Bass, particularly over wildfire response, and multiple reports say he is actively considering a rematch. As of mid-January 2026, however, he has not formally entered the race.
What Comes Next
With filing deadlines still ahead and fundraising just beginning, the field remains fluid. More candidates could emerge, while others may fade as financial and organizational realities set in.
Bass retains clear structural advantages, but the breadth of the challenger field reflects deep voter dissatisfaction and a desire—across ideological lines—for sharper accountability and competence at City Hall. Whether that energy consolidates behind a single alternative, or fractures into a crowded runoff, will define the trajectory of the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election.
CABayNews will continue tracking filings, platforms, and campaign developments as the race takes shape.
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