Kamala Harris Endorses Karen Bass for Re-election
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has thrown her support behind Karen Bass as she campaigns for re-election in Los Angeles, the second largest city in the U.S.
Harris, who resides in Malibu, made her endorsement as ballots are being sent to voters.
“She has my full support for re-election,” Harris expressed regarding Bass (D-Calif.).
Even though Bass is leading in the polls, she has faced considerable backlash related to her management of last year’s Palisades fire. There have been claims that she influenced the official report about the aftermath.
“She achieved what many thought was impossible: reducing homelessness for the first time in history, lowering crime rates to levels not seen since the 1960s, and standing firm against federal actions affecting our community,” Harris remarked in a statement Monday.
In her own words, Bass acknowledged the significance of Harris’s support, saying it symbolizes their shared vision for a safer and more affordable Los Angeles.
However, political analysts note some troubling trends, particularly regarding incumbents facing lesser-known candidates. Surveys indicate that many residents of Los Angeles have an unfavorable view of Bass, while 13% remain undecided, as shown in a March poll from the University of California, Berkeley Institute of Government.
Support for City Council member Nithya Raman (D-Calif.) rests at 17%, closely followed by conservative reality TV star Spencer Pratt (R-Calif.) with 14%.
Harris, while staying clear of the heated gubernatorial primary, has engaged in various key races across California. She has endorsed Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D-Calif.) for state treasurer, as well as Attorney General Maria Cohen (D-Calif.) and Secretary of State Maria Cohen (D-Calif.), alongside other Democratic figures.
Interestingly, Harris has not publicly chosen between two colleagues, Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), regarding the California gubernatorial race to succeed Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.).
Karen Bass and Kamala Harris were once rivals for the position of Joe Biden’s vice-presidential running mate in 2020, but their relationship extends over two decades. Bass became mayor while Harris was still in office as vice president.
