Newsom endorses Bass days before L.A. mayoral primary

Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed Mayor Karen Bass for reelection, praising reductions in street homelessness and violent crime in Los Angeles. The endorsement came days before the Tuesday primary, where Bass faced a close race with City Councilmember Nithya Raman and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. Newsom credited Bass with an 18% decline in homelessness while homelessness increased nationally, historic drops in violent crime, boosting film production in Los Angeles, and protecting communities against ICE. A UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies poll found Bass at 26% support among likely voters, with Raman at 25% and Pratt at 22%. Newsom joined other prominent endorsements, including Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff, and Alex Padilla.

"“The work Karen Bass is doing in Los Angeles is making our entire state stronger, with an 18% decline in homelessness while it grew nationally, historic drops in violent crime, boosting film production in L.A., and protecting our communities against ICE. She has my full support for reelection,” Newsom said in a statement shared with The Times."

"Newsom's endorsement comes just days before Tuesday's primary, in which Bass is in a close race with Councilmember Nithya Raman and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. In his endorsement, Newsom cited Bass' work in reducing homelessness and street crime."

"A poll released Thursday by UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times, found Bass has 26% support from likely voters. Raman, a city council member, was at 25% and Pratt was at 22%. Mark DiCamillo, who runs Berkeley IGS, called Bass' lead “statistically insignificant.”"

"Newsom becomes the most recent high-profile elected official or former elected official to back Bass. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has endorsed Bass, as have U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) In March, Newsom said he broadly supported Bass' bid for reelection, though he stopped short of a formal endorsement then."

Read at Los Angeles Times