Governor Endorses Mayor Bass Amid Tight Reelection Race

California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly expressed his support for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as she campaigns for reelection in a competitive environment.

Newsom, a Democrat, made his endorsement known on Thursday, just a few days before the nonpartisan primary on June 2. Bass is currently engaged in a close race against City Councilwoman Nithya Raman and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt.

“The work Karen Bass is doing in Los Angeles is making our entire state stronger. There’s been an 18% decline in homelessness while it rose nationally, historic drops in violent crime, and she’s boosting film production in L.A.,” Newsom stated. He added, “She has my full support for reelection,” to the Los Angeles Times.

This isn’t the first time Newsom has backed Bass; they share a long history in California’s Democratic politics and have a supportive relationship. However, he stayed neutral during the intensely contested 2022 primary between Bass and billionaire Rick Caruso. His reluctance to endorse either candidate at that time was interpreted by political analysts as a strategy to manage relationships with wealthy donors and safeguard his personal political standing.

Though Newsom hinted at his support for Bass back in March, this official endorsement marks a significant moment in the campaign.

Bass expressed gratitude for Newsom’s endorsement, hoping it could bolster her polling position.

“Governor Newsom has been a partner for Los Angeles at every turn, from delivering state resources that have driven down homelessness two years in a row, to standing shoulder to shoulder with us against Donald Trump’s lawless attacks on our city, to cutting red tape so we can build more quickly,” Bass remarked.

On her campaign website, Bass lists endorsements from notable figures, including Senator Adam Schiff and Representative Nancy Pelosi, as well as support from nine sitting members of the LA City Council.

A recent poll by UC Berkeley and the L.A. Times indicates that Bass leads among likely voters, albeit narrowly. She has 26% support, with Raman close behind at 25% and Pratt at 22%.

To secure an outright victory in the primary, a candidate must receive over 50% of the votes. Failing that, the top two candidates will face off in a runoff during the general election in November.

However, some critics from both the left and right see Newsom’s last-minute endorsement—arriving as her poll numbers begin to slip—as a sign of establishment nerves. They argue that if Bass’s record during her first term were truly compelling, she wouldn’t need an influx of high-profile endorsements to fend off a runoff.