In the Pacific Palisades, a community still grappling with the aftermath of the 2025 wildfire and at times blaming incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for devastating losses, a surprising trend emerged among exiting voters: many chose to re-elect Bass for mayor of Los Angeles. The sentiment, encapsulated by the phrase "the devil you know," reflected a complex calculus of pragmatism, fear of the unknown, and a desire for stability.
Lexi Montee, who lost her home in the fire, explained her vote for Bass as a pragmatic choice. "I think that sometimes reality is different and you can’t be dogmatic about your beliefs. You have to be more pragmatic and realistic," she told The Post. Montee also cited the upcoming Olympics as a factor, believing it wasn't the right time for a leadership change. "I do believe she’s learned her lesson, and she’s been giving us some grace and perhaps guilt. But whatever it is. She’s shown up for us."
Pianist Maria Demina, also rebuilding her home, echoed the sentiment that Bass might have learned from past events. Demina expressed reservations about Bass's challenger, Nithya Raman, particularly concerns about Raman's alignment with more extreme progressive policies. "I just want a little bit more calm, a little bit more methodical moving forward rather than extreme moves," Demina stated.
Joe Cilic, a real estate broker, described his vote as a difficult decision, admitting he partially blamed Bass for the fires but found the alternative unappealing. "I think that Nithya Rahman is incompetent. But more than that, her ideas are dangerous," Cilic said, citing Raman's stances on issues like homeless encampments and the police chief. He expressed a wish that Rick Caruso, Bass's opponent in 2022, had run again.
Tom Doran, an electrician, directly employed the "devil you know vs. the devil you don't" adage to explain his vote for Bass. He felt that leaving the mayoral choice blank would effectively be a vote for Raman, whom he viewed as worse due to her positions on public safety and homelessness. "She’s against the police. She’s done nothing with the homeless, with the drug addicts," Doran asserted.
Robyn Sidoti, a stay-at-home mother, also voted for Bass hesitantly, acknowledging the failures following the fire. She consulted with City Council member Traci Park, who recommended Bass. "If anyone’s going to help us, I feel she will," Sidoti said, believing Bass's more centrist approach would be more effective for the Palisades.
However, not all voters saw Bass as the pragmatic choice. Jeremy Elbaum, a chief commercial officer, voted for Raman, expressing a belief that a worse outcome under Raman might be necessary to force a broader awakening. "In order to really hit rock bottom and maybe start to see some progress, you got to hit really the worst of the worst," Elbaum said, comparing the strategy to "tanking in sports."