Rep. Karen Bass officially launches Los Angeles mayoral campaign
“With my whole heart, I’m ready. Let’s do this — together," said Rep. Bass in a statement.
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) confirmed on Monday that she will run for mayor of Los Angeles in 2022.
Bass, 67, will be up against L.A. City Council members Kevin de Leon and Joe Busciano, City Attorney Mike Feuer and local business leader Jessica Lall — all vying to replace L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2022, KTLA reports.
The L.A. native announced on Twitter that she is entering the city’s mayoral race, saying: “With my whole heart, I’m ready. Let’s do this — together.”
The congresswoman represents the 37th district, which includes Culver City, Inglewood and neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles.
“Karen is running for Mayor because she knows that solving this crisis means addressing the root causes of homelessness: lack of affordable housing, health care, job training, mental health services, and drug and alcohol counseling,” according to a message on her website.
Bass’ Twitter followers expressed mixed reactions to her mayoral run.
One Twitter user commented, “Please reconsider finishing your term in Congress for which you were elected instead of splitting time and focus on a mayoral campaign. Representing your constituents is not a part-time job.”
Another added, “Yayyyyyyy!!!!!! Cannot wait to help you become my Mayor. Rollin up my sleeves and ready. You’re my Congresswoman so I’m not worried about your seat because here in Culver City and Baldwin Vista we’re about as Blue as the Pacific Ocean.”
A third commented, “Wholeheartedly happy for this campaign launch but in a city whose population is ~50% Hispanic/Latinx — many of whom are monolingual Spanish speakers — why isn’t there a single page in Spanish on your site at launch? Let’s do intentionally better.”
Bass is a six-term congresswoman who President Joe Biden was considering for vice president. Her focus is on tackling a number of crises plaguing Los Angeles.
“Our city is facing a public health, safety and economic crisis in homelessness that has evolved into a humanitarian emergency. I’ve spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change — especially in times of crisis,” Bass said in a statement.
“Los Angeles is my home. With my whole heart, I’m ready. Let’s do this — together. I’m running for mayor,” she added.
“Los Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis in homelessness and a public health crisis in the disproportionate impact this pandemic has had on Angelenos,” Bass spokesman Zach Seidl said in a statement to The Hill. “She does not want to see these two issues tear the city apart. Los Angeles has to come together. That’s why the Congresswoman is considering a run for mayor.”
Bass teased in an August interview with KPCC/LAist that she has been eyeing a mayoral bid.
“I have been overwhelmed and humbled by people pushing for me to do this, and I will say that I am seriously considering it,” she said. “[Running for mayor] was not something I had thought about before — I was planning to run for reelection. I am evaluating the situation now,” she continued.
Most recently, Bass, Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement on a federal policing reform bill.
In a statement, per NPR, Bass said that Democrats “accepted significant compromises, knowing that they would be a tough sell to our community,” but added that “every time, more was demanded to the point that there would be no progress made in the bill that we were left discussing.”
The police reform legislation now requires a “re-engagement of the legislative process,” she said.
If she wins, Bass would be the city’s first elected female and second Black mayor, KTLA reports.
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