The voters of the city of Los Angeles will have to decide next year 2022, who will be its new mayor, since the current municipal president Eric Garcetti is running out of term to govern without the option of re-election.
But also due to his nomination as United States Ambassador to India, it is very likely that he will leave office during the first months of next year, and an interim mayor will be appointed while voters elect in November to his replacement.
There are more than a dozen hopefuls to be the next mayor of Los Angeles, as of January 2023.
So far, those who have made their campaigns public are the Councilors, Kevin De León for the District 14, Joe Buscaino for the District 15, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and Congresswoman Karen Bass.
They have also jumped into the fray, businessman Craig Greiwe, Central City Association President Jessica Lall, Real Estate Agent Mel Wilson, Entrepreneur Ramit Varma, Developer Sean Enrigth, community organizer William Rodriguez Morrison and others less well known.
Billionaire mall real estate developer Rick Caruso has announced that he is considering running for Mayor, since he is tired of so many robberies and excessive helplessness.
“It is not the first time that Caruso considers running for mayor. Almost every election announces that you are considering running, but you can’t decide. So it is unlikely that it will be launched “, says the consultant and political strategist, Luis Alvarado.
On the other hand, he says that it is too early to say who could win the election or where the balance.
“We have seen that Congresswoman Karen Bass came in very strong, but the news that her consultants have left their campaign does not favor her.”
Even though she is a candidate with a long political career, her great challenge is to convince Angelenos, mostly Latinos, that she is a candidate who can represent them regardless of the fact that former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and leader Dolores Huerta have given her their support.
“Mathematically the candidate strongest is Kevin De León, and in second place are tied Karen Bass and Councilor Joe Buscaino. ”
De León is a leader in Los Angeles, former Assemblyman, former Senate leader, has a name in the Latino community and is seeking the support of non-Latinos.
However, consider that it is too early to make any predictions, Well, the candidates for mayor of Los Angeles are just two steps away from having left the goal.
“We are 6 months away from the primary election, anyone can stand up, and the issues on which should focus and make good proposals are: the sa lud to protect people from covid – 19, the economy, the security of families and the homeless. ”
In the primary election of June 7, 2022, the two candidates with the most votes , will appear on the ballot for the general election of November 8, and among them, the new mayor of LA will come out.
Chamba Sánchez, professor of political science at Los Angeles community colleges, said that In light of recent crime in shopping malls, voters will demand stronger anti-crime laws from candidates for mayor and governor and hope that the issue will be addressed in some propositions that may make it to the ballot.
Therefore, he pointed out that the candidates have to be more receptive and some of them have already begun to attack the homeless and demand tougher laws.
“The news Biggest next year is whether Rick Caruso will decide to run for Mayor. He has hired top-notch consultants, who are evaluating his odds and challenges. ”
Mario Beltrán, a Democratic consultant, said the list of More than a dozen candidates for mayor of Los Angeles, it is something that has become fashionable, and it is a reflection of the discontent that exists.
“For now I see the odds very close among councilors Kevin De León, Joe Buscaino and Congresswoman Karen Bass. ”
But he highlights that given the climate in Los Angeles with so many homeless people and the increase in crime, he does not doubt that the radical proposals from Councilman Buscaino, formerly a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cop by 14 years, can turn on among the electorate, who is tired of insecurity and the excessive growth of homeless people.
As councilor Buscaino is seeking to ban homeless camps around schools public.
“And as a former police officer, you may be successful with your tough policy against crime, especially in view of the increase in the wave of violence that is being experienced in the city.”
Regarding Congresswoman Bass, whom she defines as a career politician, Beltrán says she is trying to promote herself as an independent candidate for City Council politics.
“The Los Angeles city attorney, Mike Feuer, has had a harder time winning the mayoralty, due to the ineptitude of his office to respond to the corruption of the Department of Light and Water (LADWP). He personally has done nothing wrong, but they are going to use that against him. ”
Former LADWP chief David H. Wright of 62 years, he agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery in a corruption case involving the agency he already ran the prosecutor Feuer’s office. Wright was removed from office in 2019 by Mayor Garcetti.
In fact, an attorney hired by Feuer’s office also pleaded guilty to a charge of bribery in a nearly $ 2.2 million scheme stemming from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Electricity billing fiasco in 2013.
Beltrán says that without a doubt De León is the candidate with the most realistic and humane position, whose goal would be to build more homes in Los Angeles to reduce homelessness.
But anticipates that the campaign for mayor will be dirty and full of attacks.
“They are going to try to connect Kevin and Buscaino with the scandals in the Cabildo of former councilors; Karen Bass is going to attack her for having received a scholarship from the University of Southern California (USC) when she could either pay for her studies with her income or request an educational loan like everyone else does.
“This can be seen as an abuse of power and politically it does not look good. It was a mistake to have accepted that scholarship. ”
It should be noted that the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives authorized Karen Bass in 2011 to receive the scholarship for $ 95, 000 offered by USC for a master’s degree in social work. He graduated from 2015.
“The USC has turned out to be a toxic university institution, a radioactive source due to its relations with politicians who later end up facing federal accusations. ”
Without a doubt, Beltrán reiterates that the election for mayor is going to be very competitive.
But he also pointed out that it will be interesting to see his proposals to address the serious problems left by Mayor Garcetti: homelessness, insecurity and helpless.
“We live in a city in which those who are not homeless and now have a roof, are two checks away, or an accident or an emergency expense of not being able to pay their rent, stay in the streets and join the ranks of the homeless. ”