L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Leads Reelection with over 50% Disapproval

Bass faces low approval ratings but maintains lead in mayoral race

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:18am

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass currently leads in her reelection race despite having an over 50 percent disapproval rating among likely voters, according to a recent poll. The poll found that Bass leads the race with 25 percent of support from likely voters, followed by City Councilmember Nithya Raman at 17 percent and reality TV star Spencer Pratt at 14 percent. However, the poll also revealed that 56 percent of likely voters had an unfavorable view of the mayor, while only 31 percent viewed her favorably.

Why it matters

The poll results suggest that Bass is facing significant public disapproval, which could make her reelection bid more challenging. The findings raise questions about voter sentiment towards the mayor and the factors driving her low approval ratings, which could have broader implications for her political future and the city's leadership.

The details

The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times found that Bass leads the race, but with a significant portion of voters, around 25 percent, remaining undecided. The poll also revealed that 56 percent of likely voters had an unfavorable view of the mayor, while only 31 percent viewed her favorably. Dan Schnur, a politics professor at USC, UC Berkeley, and Pepperdine, described the poll as 'borderline catastrophic' for Bass, noting that her struggles against a relatively unknown field of opponents 'bodes very, very poorly for her.'

  • The poll was conducted in March 2026.

The players

Karen Bass

The current mayor of Los Angeles who is running for reelection.

Nithya Raman

A Los Angeles City Councilmember who is running against Bass in the mayoral race.

Spencer Pratt

A reality TV star from the show 'The Hills' who is also running for mayor of Los Angeles.

Dan Schnur

A politics professor at USC, UC Berkeley, and Pepperdine who commented on the poll results.

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What they’re saying

“That she's having this much trouble against this field, against such a little-known field of opponents, bodes very, very poorly for her. The only thing saving her at this point is that the top tier of potential candidates who were considering running against her decided to stay out of this race.”

— Dan Schnur, Politics professor

What’s next

The mayoral election is scheduled for later in 2026, and the results of the race will determine the city's leadership for the next four years.

The takeaway

The poll results suggest that Mayor Karen Bass is facing significant public disapproval, which could make her reelection bid more challenging. The findings raise questions about voter sentiment towards the mayor and the factors driving her low approval ratings, which could have broader implications for her political future and the city's leadership.