California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, 68, shared an awkward moment with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass when he refused to endorse her during a recent interview. While standing next to Bass, Becerra was asked why voters should support her re-election campaign.
"Well, I hope people just go out and vote. That's the most important thing," Becerra stated, as Bass offered an uncomfortable smile. When pressed further by the reporter, who pointed out that the mayor was standing with him and presented a "unified force," Becerra reiterated his longstanding relationship with Bass, whom he served with in Congress.
"Well, Karen Bass and I go way, way back. We have known each other for a long, long time and we served together in Congress," Becerra said. "You know, politics is one thing, friendships are another thing, and I hope that folks recognize that you can have friendships that far exceed whatever goes on in politics."
Bass is currently engaged in a close race for re-election against City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. The encounter drew commentary from Spencer Pratt, Bass's former opponent for mayor, who shared the clip on X. Pratt, a registered Republican, criticized Bass's performance in office, citing issues such as homelessness, public safety, and basic services.
Pratt had previously vowed to oppose both Bass and Raman after his own mayoral campaign ended in a loss. He alleged that "the machine protecting the machine" was responsible for his defeat and suggested that he possessed recordings that could cause one of the candidates to resign in shame. He described the choice facing Angelenos as between "dumb and dumber."