Far-Left Candidate Leads Los Angeles City Attorney Race in New Poll

A new poll indicates that Marissa Roy, a candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has taken a commanding lead in the race for Los Angeles City Attorney. The poll, conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, shows Roy with 20% support compared to prosecutor John McKinney's 10%. However, a substantial 70% of likely voters remain undecided.

McKinney, a former prosecutor, expressed confidence in his campaign's ability to sway undecided voters. "Momentum is clearly on our side," McKinney stated in a press release. "As they continue learning more about my story and my positions on key issues like homelessness and public safety, we feel confident we will win in November." He criticized Roy's stance on crime, stating, "Marissa’s unwillingness to enforce the homeless encampment ban and her George Gascón-like policies on crime, Angelenos will realize she is too extreme and out of touch to be City Attorney."

The poll surveyed 2,150 likely voters between September 15 and 20. Roy and McKinney are competing to succeed City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, who was eliminated in the June primary. The city attorney's office is responsible for prosecuting misdemeanors, defending the city in legal actions, and drafting municipal laws.

Roy, 34, currently works as a deputy state attorney general in the consumer protection section. She is an active member of DSA's Los Angeles chapter. Her platform advocates for reducing the role of armed police and redirecting unarmed workers to handle tasks such as traffic enforcement and mental health calls.

One of the more controversial aspects of Roy's candidacy stems from her involvement in discussions about a proposed 100-day moratorium on prosecuting new misdemeanor charges. While Roy has stated she did not personally support a blanket moratorium, her campaign website indicates she believes most misdemeanors are rooted in poverty, mental illness, or addiction, and suggests alternatives like treatment, housing, and diversion programs instead of court proceedings.

McKinney, 58, has over 27 years of experience as a prosecutor with the LA County District Attorney’s Office, including his work on the prosecution of the murder case of rapper Nipsey Hussle. His campaign platform centers on using the city attorney's office to address street disorder and clear homeless encampments from sidewalks. His endorsements include District Attorney Nathan Hochman and the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

The poll results for the city attorney race come as another DSA-backed candidate, City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, reportedly leads Mayor Karen Bass in a separate poll. However, Bass's campaign has dismissed that poll as an outlier. Voters will cast their ballots on November 3.