L.A. County labor coalition backs Karen Bass, slams Raman as a 'political opportunist'

"The head of the powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, blasted Nithya Raman on Wednesday, calling the city council member an "opportunist" for launching a campaign to unseat Mayor Karen Bass after previously signaling her support for Bass. Federation president Yvonne Wheeler said in a statement that her organization, which represents an estimated 800,000 workers, will "use every tool" in its arsenal to get Bass reelected."

"With Donald Trump's ongoing war against the people of Los Angeles, our working families and immigrant communities, now is not the time for distractions from a political opportunist - especially one who backed the Mayor's re-election campaign just weeks ago," Wheeler said. Raman, whose district stretches from Silver Lake to Reseda, was announced as one of the mayor's endorsers on Jan. 27 in a campaign press release listing Bass' San Fernando Valley supporters."

"Raman launched her own last-minute mayoral bid on Saturday, saying that City Hall is unable to "manage the basics." The primary election is June 2, followed by a November runoff if no candidate secures a majority of the vote. Raman's campaign team did not immediately respond to Wheeler's assertions after being contacted by The Times. In her statement, Wheeler described Bass as a "lifelong progressive""

Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, publicly criticized Councilmember Nithya Raman for entering the mayoral race against Karen Bass after previously signaling support. Wheeler called Raman an opportunist and pledged that the federation, representing about 800,000 workers and roughly 300 labor organizations, will "use every tool" to secure Bass's reelection. Wheeler framed Bass as a lifelong progressive and argued that true progressivism requires championing working people. Raman announced a last-minute bid saying City Hall cannot manage basics. The primary is June 2, with a November runoff if no majority emerges.

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