Outgoing Los Angeles mayor Bass addresses future after unexpected loss

Karen Bass expressed uncertainty about returning to elected office, responding with “Doubtful” when questioned about future campaigns during an appearance on NBC4. This marked her first public statement since Nithya Raman’s surprising victory.

Bass, who will conclude her tenure in December, indicated a desire to prioritize personal aspirations after decades of public service. “I have spent my entire life devoted to service, never thinking about what do I want to do personally. That moment is here.”

Her comments came during a visit to a business fire in Vernon. Raman secured a significant lead in the latest ballot count and will become Los Angeles’ 44th mayor.

The outcome was unexpected, as Bass had never experienced electoral defeat in her political career spanning Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.

Addressing the reasons for her loss, Bass attributed it to a broader sentiment of voter discontent and a desire for change. “I put the election in the context of the national scene,” she stated. “To me, there was a wave and these waves happen. I’ve been around long enough to experience them, not where they necessarily affected me. But change waves happen where people are just frustrated. They just want change, they got it.”

Bass is the first Los Angeles mayor to lose a reelection bid since Jim Hahn was defeated by Antonio Villaraigosa in 2005.

Raman campaigned as a progressive alternative to Bass, who was considered the establishment candidate. She received endorsement from the Democratic Socialists of America-LA, while Bass received support from nearly all of Raman’s City Council colleagues.

Even real estate developer Rick Caruso, who previously lost to Bass in 2022, had intended to vote for her this year.

Raman’s win places Los Angeles among cities like New York and Washington, D.C., now led by politicians with democratic socialist backing. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Washington, D.C. mayoral winner Janeese Lewis George share a similar political alignment.