Mayor Karen Bass’s campaign on Tuesday criticized rival Nithya Raman for highlighting an apparent refusal by gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra to endorse Bass during a joint campaign event.
Raman seized on the moment, posting on X that Becerra’s reluctance to endorse Bass demonstrated a significant snub. "It says a lot that future Governor Xavier Becerra refuses to endorse his longtime friend Karen Bass..." Raman wrote.
The exchange occurred when a reporter asked Becerra why voters should re-elect Bass. Becerra, standing alongside Bass at an event in Chinatown, demurred, stating, "Well I hope people just go out and vote, that’s the most important thing." When pressed further, Becerra reiterated his long-standing friendship with Bass, a former colleague in Congress, but stopped short of a formal endorsement.
Sources cited by The Post suggested Becerra’s hesitation might be retaliation for Bass’s earlier support of his gubernatorial rival, Antonio Villaraigosa. Another political analyst, John McLaughlin, posited that Becerra might be avoiding Bass to prevent her from becoming a political liability, given that a recent poll indicated 71.7% of likely Los Angeles voters disapproved of Bass's job performance.
Raman’s campaign had also reportedly sought a joint appearance with Becerra, but one never materialized. The incident drew commentary from other political figures, including Spencer Pratt and Steve Hilton, who used the moment to criticize Bass and promote their own platforms.
The political sparring comes as the Los Angeles mayoral race has tightened. An October poll showed Bass and Raman tied at 40% with 19% undecided, a significant shift from September when Raman held an 11-point lead. Bass is campaigning on her efforts to address homelessness and expand affordable housing, while Raman has focused on reducing encampments and increasing tenant protections.
