Bass leads L.A. mayor race, but many voters view her unfavorably

Poll shows incumbent Karen Bass in the lead, but over half of voters have an unfavorable view of her

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:00am

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According to a new LA Times/Berkeley IGS poll, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is leading the field in her bid for reelection, but more than half of voters view her unfavorably. Bass was supported by 25% of voters, while City Councilmember Nithya Raman drew 17% and conservative reality TV star Spencer Pratt came in third at 14%. About a quarter of voters were undecided. Bass has faced criticism for her handling of the Palisades fire, with 56% of those polled saying they had an unfavorable view of her.

Why it matters

The poll provides an early snapshot of the LA mayoral race, which is heating up less than three months before the June 2 primary. Despite Bass' lead, the poll suggests she is struggling against a relatively weak field of opponents, which could be a concerning sign for her campaign. The race has taken on added significance as Los Angeles grapples with major issues like homelessness, crime, and infrastructure.

The details

The survey of 840 likely voters between March 9 and 15 found that Bass has come under heavy criticism for her handling of the devastating Palisades fire in 2025. More than a year later, 56% of those polled said they had an unfavorable view of her, while 31% viewed her favorably. Beyond the top three candidates, leftist Rae Huang notched support from 8% of those polled, while tech entrepreneur Adam Miller drew 6%. The poll is 'borderline catastrophic' for Bass, according to USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine politics professor Dan Schnur, because the field of candidates is so weak.

  • The poll was conducted between March 9 and 15, 2026.
  • The Palisades fire ignited on January 7, 2025, killing 12 people and destroying thousands of homes.

The players

Karen Bass

The incumbent mayor of Los Angeles and the first female and first Black female mayor of the city.

Nithya Raman

A Los Angeles City Councilmember representing Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and parts of the San Fernando Valley.

Spencer Pratt

A conservative reality TV star who is running for mayor of Los Angeles.

Dan Schnur

A politics professor at USC, UC Berkeley, and Pepperdine University.

Mike Bonin

A former Los Angeles City Councilmember who now runs the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA.

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What they’re saying

“It's clear Angelenos are frustrated by decades of inaction on major issues. This campaign will show that it's Karen Bass who changed the direction on these issues and that others running responded with reports while Karen Bass took action.”

— Douglas Herman, Spokesperson for the Bass campaign

“I am very grateful that our campaign to make our city more affordable is resonating with so many Angelenos.”

— Nithya Raman, Los Angeles City Councilmember

“While voters are clearly looking for an alternative [to Bass], they haven't chosen one.”

— Mike Bonin, Former Los Angeles City Councilmember

What’s next

The top two finishers in the June 2 primary will proceed to a November runoff election.

The takeaway

The LA mayoral race is shaping up to be a competitive and closely watched contest, with incumbent Karen Bass facing criticism over her handling of the Palisades fire and a field of challengers that, while relatively unknown, appear to be resonating with some voters frustrated with the city's leadership. The outcome of this race could have significant implications for how Los Angeles addresses major issues like homelessness, crime, and infrastructure in the coming years.