Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has withdrawn from a pivotal mayoral candidate forum scheduled for May 13 on FOX 11, just days after Spencer Pratt dominated a televised debate against her and City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Pratt’s Strong Debate Performance
In Wednesday’s debate, Pratt, a former reality TV star and mayoral candidate, earned praise for challenging Bass’s policies. An NBC LA poll revealed that 90% of viewers considered Pratt the winner over Bass and Raman, a Democratic Socialists of America member.
Pratt expressed a preference for facing Raman one-on-one, stating, “All the unions support Mayor Bass. You think it’s easier to run against the incumbent mayor with all the unions, or a random city councilmember who has been a failure for six years?” He has repeatedly faulted Bass’s response to the January wildfires that razed thousands of Southern California homes, including his $3.8 million property.
Organizers Express Disappointment
The League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles and the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, the event organizers, described Bass’s withdrawal as “disappointing.” Their statement emphasized that the forum aimed to let voters “hear directly from candidates seeking to lead the city through a period of extraordinary challenges.”
Five candidates received invitations: Bass, Raman, businessman Adam Miller, community advocate Rae Huang, and Pratt, who declined due to a scheduling conflict. Organizers shared a confirmation form signed by Bass on April 22 affirming her participation. “These forums provide voters with the opportunity to hear candidates share their perspectives, respond to questions, and engage with one another on issues facing Los Angeles,” the statement added.
Mike Bonin, former LA City Councilmember and current Pat Brown Institute affiliate, noted that Bass’s team initially confirmed availability for May 13, prompting invitations to challengers on April 20. Bass withdrew Thursday, with her consultant citing debates against main opponents as sufficient.
“We are disappointed that voters will be denied the opportunity to see the Mayor side-by-side with her main opponents in a televised forum just as voters are beginning to really pay attention to the race,” Bonin said.
Bass Campaign’s Explanation
Instead of attending, Bass heads to Sacramento on May 13 to secure funding for housing, homelessness, and Palisades Fire recovery, while discussing city-state partnerships for the Olympics and World Cup. A campaign spokesperson stated, “Mayor Bass will be in Sacramento that day fighting for funding for housing, homelessness, and Palisades Fire recovery, and will also discuss the city and state partnership on the Olympics and World Cup.”
The campaign further remarked, “People of LA saw twice last week that Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt are not up to the job as Mayor. So it’s time to move past debates.”
Candidate Backgrounds and Polling
Pratt, known from MTV’s The Hills where he met wife Heidi Montag, campaigns on LA’s drug use, homelessness, and fire recovery. Bass recently accused him of “exploiting the grief” of wildfire victims, saying, “Well, honestly, before this, I had never heard of Spencer Pratt. I think that’s reprehensible. He is about his own celebrity.”
Recent polls indicate a competitive race ahead of the June 2 primary, with a potential November 3 runoff if no candidate exceeds 50%. A UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs survey showed Bass at 25%, Pratt at 11%, and Raman at 9%. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll had Bass at 25%, Pratt at 14%, and Raman at 17%.
