At Least 30 Candidates Vie to Be Next Los Angeles Mayor

Incumbent Karen Bass seeks reelection as crowded field emerges ahead of February 7 filing deadline.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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With the deadline to register for the Los Angeles mayoral election looming on February 7, at least 30 candidates have filed paperwork to run for the position. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, the city's first female mayor, is seeking reelection after winning the 2022 election with 53.1% of the vote. Other high-profile candidates include tech executive Adam Miller, longtime city engineer Asaad Alnajjar, and reality TV star Spencer Pratt.

Why it matters

The Los Angeles mayoral race is shaping up to be highly competitive, with a diverse field of candidates vying to lead the nation's second-largest city. The winner will face significant challenges, including addressing public safety concerns, managing the city's budget and infrastructure, and tackling issues like homelessness and housing affordability.

The details

The nonpartisan primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026, and if no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on November 3, 2026. Some of the key candidates include incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, who is defending her seat after becoming the city's first female mayor in 2022; tech executive Adam Miller, who touts his management experience; longtime city engineer Asaad Alnajjar, who emphasizes his hands-on public works expertise; and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who is focusing his campaign on the government's response to the Palisades Fire that destroyed his home.

  • The deadline for candidates to register for the election is February 7, 2026.
  • The nonpartisan primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026.
  • If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote in the primary, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on November 3, 2026.

The players

Karen Bass

The incumbent mayor of Los Angeles, who became the city's first female mayor in 2022 after winning the election with 53.1% of the vote.

Adam Miller

A tech executive and nonprofit founder who is running for mayor, touting his management experience.

Asaad Alnajjar

An engineer for the City of Los Angeles who has announced his mayoral bid, emphasizing his hands-on public works expertise.

Rae Huang

A community organizer and Democratic Socialist who is standing in the election as a left-wing candidate.

Spencer Pratt

A reality television star who entered the mayoral race this week, focusing his campaign on the government's response to the Palisades Fire that destroyed his home.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of the issues we face in the city are management problems, and I know how to manage. I've managed effectively teams that are big and small. I've managed teams that are domestic and international. And I've managed programs at every stage, so I know how to scale things up and make them operate at scale for a big system.”

— Adam Miller, Tech executive and nonprofit founder (Los Angeles Times)

“No candidate in this race has the hands-on Public Works City Services Experience and proven track record that I do. I have been a City of Los Angeles Engineer for over 35 years building and delivering solutions. Now, I want to spend the next 4 years re-engineering your city as your elected Mayor. I have been at the forefront of some of the most innovative projects in the whole city.”

— Asaad Alnajjar, Engineer for the City of Los Angeles (Asaad Alnajjar campaign statement)

“We are in a place in our country and in our political environment where folks feel stuck and afraid. They feel like nothing is going to change, and the things that are changing are making things even worse.”

— Rae Huang, Community organizer and Democratic Socialist (Los Angeles Times)

“If I don't win mayor, I'm not stopping. People say [I'm] just doing this for the book, that the storyline ends when this book tour ends. And when I'm still doing this same journey five years from now, they're gonna look stupid.”

— Spencer Pratt (Newsweek)

What’s next

The nonpartisan primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on November 3, 2026.

The takeaway

The crowded field of candidates vying to be the next mayor of Los Angeles reflects the significant challenges facing the city, from public safety and homelessness to infrastructure and budget management. Voters will have a wide range of experience and perspectives to choose from in shaping the city's future direction.