LA Councilwoman Backs Bass Over Raman in Mayoral Race, Citing 'Worse' Alternative

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park announced she will vote for incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the upcoming election, despite expressing significant concerns about Bass's leadership. Park stated that while she has "deep concerns" about the current mayor and acknowledges voter frustration, the alternative candidate, Councilwoman Nithya Raman, presents a far more detrimental option for the city.

"I know you think things now are bad, and I won't argue with you that some things are," Park said at a town hall Wednesday. "But they can actually get worse, and I am very, very concerned about what the future of our city looks like if Nithya Raman were to become our mayor."

Park, a Democrat, emphasized her stance: "I’m not endorsing Karen Bass, but I am voting for Karen Bass." She noted that while she and Bass have disagreed on various issues and she has been "personally deeply frustrated and angry with our current mayor on a number of occasions," Bass has maintained a professional working relationship and supported her initiatives.

In contrast, Park criticized Raman's policy proposals and accused the progressive councilwoman of being politically performative. Park represents City Council District 11, which includes the Pacific Palisades neighborhood impacted by wildfires in early 2025. She alleged that Raman's engagement with the community following the fires was merely a "political pitstop" and that Raman had not sought input from Park's district regarding recovery needs.

"When Raman campaigned for city council in 2020, that position was indeed part of her platform. She has since publicly distanced herself from the idea, but critics maintain that it is still one of her goals," the Daily Mail reported. Raman has voted in favor of budgets that would increase police funding, but also voted against a proposal to hire 170 new officers. Park also stated that Raman voted against her efforts to ban encampments near public schools and parks and would refuse to prosecute misdemeanor cases.

The wildfire response and the city's recovery efforts became a focal point in the mayoral race. Former candidate Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in the fires and ran as a Republican, received 26 percent of the vote in the primary, trailing Raman's 29 percent and Bass's 34 percent.

Park acknowledged that urging constituents to vote for Bass is a "tough ask," given the desire for change. "I hear you. I want some change too. But the alternative does not actually get us where we want to be. I think it actually impedes our progress, and unfortunately will take us back to where we were," she concluded.