Three Major Candidates Withdraw from Los Angeles Mayoral Debate as Race Intensifies

With just 20 days remaining until the primary election, the Los Angeles mayoral race has taken an unexpected turn after three leading candidates—Mayor Karen Bass, reality star Spencer Pratt, and City Council member Nithya Raman—pulled out of an upcoming debate, forcing organizers to put the event on hold.

The Pat Brown Institute confirmed this week that the debate scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed due to the three major candidates becoming unavailable.

The development comes as the contest heats up, with political analyst Brian Sobel noting that 40% of Los Angeles voters remain undecided—a significant figure compared to the gubernatorial race, where only 14% are undecided.

Pratt Surges on Personal Story

Spencer Pratt, a Republican running in heavily Democratic Los Angeles, has gained traction by sharing his personal experience of losing his home in the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire.

“It’s a huge impact,” Sobel said in an analysis of the race. “It’s one thing to tell a story about somebody else or to describe a problem. One of his commercials has him stepping out of a trailer on a piece of property that’s totally burned out. It’s a very effective commercial.”

Pratt has been highly active on social media, radio, and television, criticizing Mayor Bass for her absence during the fire. Bass was out of the country attending a presidential inaugural in Guyana when the fire broke out and faced intense scrutiny for not being on the scene.

Beyond the fire response, Pratt has focused on bureaucratic obstacles facing residents trying to rebuild. “He is talking about the red tape, the bureaucracy, the things that led to this,” Sobel said. “That’s what is going to get Karen Bass in trouble if she ends up losing.”

Bass Touts Crime Statistics

Mayor Bass, who has led Los Angeles since 2022, recently appeared at an event with law enforcement to announce that burglaries are down by over 30% in Los Angeles so far this year. She also stated that over 100 arrests related to residential and commercial burglaries have been made in the last month alone.

“These bad actors are now off the street,” Bass said, noting that efforts have dismantled international organized crime groups targeting communities, including one suspect tied to over 25 residential burglaries and another linked to 30 burglaries citywide.

Bass emphasized her commitment to public safety, stating, “My number one job is to keep Angelinos safe.” She noted that violent crime, property crime, and homicides are down—with homicides reaching levels not seen since the 1960s—while acknowledging that “statistics are nice, but what is important is that you actually feel safe.”

The mayor also highlighted her proposed budget, which calls for hiring more police officers as Los Angeles prepares for the World Cup and other international events.

Running Out the Clock?

Asked whether Mayor Bass is attempting to “run out the clock” by avoiding debates with just three weeks remaining, Sobel offered a direct assessment: “No question. Anytime you are the incumbent, everybody’s gunning for you. She’s taking incoming from everywhere, but mainly from Pratt.”

The first televised mayoral debate recently featured sharp exchanges, with Pratt trading personal barbs with the Mayor and calling her out for what he characterized as poor management of the city and fire preparedness issues.

The race includes 13 candidates in total, but the three major contenders—Bass, Pratt, and Raman—have each been presenting their own case to voters. Raman, a current city council member, has focused on her work at the council level, while Bass emphasizes her time in Washington D.C. and her ability to bring resources back to Los Angeles.

“Each has their own story to tell,” Sobel said.