Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black has endorsed Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass, citing an alleged snub by rival Nithya Raman. Black stated that Raman, a candidate for mayor, failed to appear at a campaign event she had requested him to host.
Black, who co-hosted the event with his husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley, shared his disappointment on Instagram. He wrote that Raman's staff provided misleading explanations for her absence and that he had spoken with other former supporters who experienced similar behavior. "If this were unique to us I would have taken the knock. But in conversations with other previous Raman supporters I discovered this is Raman's way," Black stated.
Black, a previous supporter of Raman, now opposes her candidacy. "it turns out she is not a dependable politician," he wrote. He released a video endorsing Bass, emphasizing her ability to "show up" for her responsibilities. "With the challenges ahead, I think the most important thing is to have experience and to show up. One of the candidates showed up as promised, and the other did not," Black said.
His endorsement comes as polls indicate a tight race between Bass and Raman. Recent surveys show the candidates in a near tie, with some polls even giving Raman a slight lead. The election is scheduled for November 3.
Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass has issued strong warnings about Raman's potential impact on the city. Bass suggested that Raman's policies could lead to "chaos" and potentially disrupt public safety and policing in Los Angeles. Specifically, Bass raised concerns about Raman's stated intention to fire the LAPD Chief. "I don’t think she has a clue what it takes to get a police chief for the nation’s second-largest city," Bass commented. "The minute she would initiate that, you will have officers leaving the department, and confusion sets in anytime they’re gonna sit around and wait to see who is going to lead them."