Bass and Raman debate for Los Angeles mayor’s office: what they propose

Mayor Karen Bass and city councilwoman Nithya Raman held their first face-to-face debate since advancing to the general election runoff. The encounter took place on August 19 at the East Valley Adult Center in Sherman Oaks.

Before the debate began, supporters of both candidates clashed outside with signs and chants. The Los Angeles Police Department had to intervene to prevent major altercations.

About 300 people attended the venue: 189 in person and 421 more following the online broadcast, according to organizers’ count. The debate, moderated by journalist Phil Shuman, lasted 90 minutes.

A closely contested primary finish

Bass finished first in the June primary with 34.3% of the vote. Raman came in second with 29%. Reality TV actor Spencer Pratt finished third with 25.5%.

No candidate exceeded the 50% needed to win outright. That’s why both will face off again on November 3 in the general election.

Days before the debate, a poll circulated showing Bass 12 points ahead of Raman. That poll turned out to be false, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times. The city controller, Kenneth Mejia, who backs Raman, called negative polls a wear-down tactic on his official social media account.

ICE raids: the possible departure of the police chief

One of the most tense moments centered on Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. Raman said that if she wins, she would evaluate replacing him.

The councilwoman argued that McDonnell’s response to ICE immigration raids has fallen short of the moment. She said the city needs police leadership that respects immigrants under attack.

Bass, meanwhile, defended her administration’s public safety record. She assured that under her leadership, the city achieved the greatest historic reduction in homicide rates.

Both candidates agreed on one point: they support expanding unarmed crisis response programs. The idea is to free up officers to focus on emergencies that actually require police force.

Street vendors: coexistence or restriction?

The issue of street vendors also generated friction. A resident asked how they would prevent unfair competition with established restaurants.

Raman defended the economic and cultural contribution of street vendors. She did not propose specific new restrictions during her response.

Bass was more blunt. She said she doesn’t believe there should be a food vendor right in front of a restaurant, under any circumstance. The remark drew applause from the audience.

Homelessness, the issue that weighed most heavily that evening

Los Angeles recorded a 3.4% increase in its homeless population this year, reaching approximately 45,194 people, according to the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count 2026. Street homelessness, with no shelter whatsoever, rose nearly 8%.

Raman boasted that her district, the Fourth, had a 49% drop in unsheltered homelessness. Bass responded that her administration’s Inside Safe program was key to achieving it.

Both agreed that homeless people with serious mental illness need urgent help. Both showed openness to involuntary hospitalization in certain cases, though they acknowledged that the legal guardianship process can take a very long time.

Raman promised to audit homelessness spending during her first six months if she wins. She also said she would strengthen the new Homelessness Oversight Office. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority spent more than $800 million last fiscal year, amid reports of accounting failures.

More police officers or the same number of officers

On public safety, the candidates again differed. Bass wants to hire more officers to strengthen police presence in the city.

Raman, on the other hand, believes the current staffing level is sufficient. The councilwoman maintains that the problem is not quantity but how existing resources are distributed.

The debate also included housing, with friction over state law SB 79. This measure seeks to allow denser construction near public transit stations, something Bass has questioned for its impact on single-family home neighborhoods.

What comes next before November

This was just the first face-to-face debate of the general election race. An additional televised debate, organized by NBC4, is expected in the coming weeks.

Bass seeks a second term as mayor of the nation’s second-largest city. Raman, a councilwoman since 2020, is betting on capitalizing on discontent with the city’s handling of homelessness and basic services.

For Los Angeles’ Latino voters, this debate made clear the differences between both candidates on issues that directly affect their daily lives: immigration, housing, and neighborhood safety.