5 Things You Need to Know About the Los Angeles Mayor Race Right Now
* The race is shaping up to be a high-stakes rematch between incumbent Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso. After losing the 2022 runoff, Caruso is back with a massive personal war chest, promising to use his business background to tackle homelessness and crime, while Bass leans on her established political connections and progressive policy wins.
* A surprise candidate has entered the fray: a viral TikTok influencer known for documenting LA’s trash crisis. Using the slogan "Clean It Up," this outsider is pulling massive youth support and has forced both major campaigns to acknowledge the city’s broken sanitation system as a top-tier issue.
* Homelessness remains the single most defining issue, but the debate has shifted. Both Bass and Caruso now promise faster shelter construction and more aggressive encampment clearance, with Caruso calling for a "public health emergency" and Bass defending her "Inside Safe" initiative. The influencer candidate, however, demands a complete mental health overhaul first.
* Fundraising records are being shattered. Caruso has already poured $10 million of his own money into TV ads, while Bass is relying on bundlers from Hollywood and union leaders. Outside PACs are flooding the airwaves with attack ads, turning local mailboxes into battlegrounds of fear-mongering and fact-checking.
* The real wildcard is voter turnout. With the primary scheduled for June, low engagement could favor Caruso’s money-driven ground game, while high turnout—especially from renters and progressive blocs—could give Bass a second chance. The influencer’s movement is threatening to siphon votes from both sides, making this the most unpredictable Los Angeles mayor race in decades.