Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has withdrawn from a crucial mayoral candidate forum scheduled for May 13, just days after a televised debate that many viewers felt reality TV star Spencer Pratt had handily won. The decision was announced by organizers on Saturday, who expressed disappointment over Bass's sudden exit.
Bass Pulls Out of FOX 11 Forum
The forum, organized by the League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles and the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, was set to air on FOX 11. In a statement, the organizers noted that Bass had confirmed her participation on April 22 but withdrew without explanation. 'These forums provide voters with the opportunity to hear candidates share their perspectives,' they said, calling the withdrawal 'disappointing.'
Bass's campaign later stated that she would be in Sacramento on May 13 'fighting for funding for housing, homelessness, and Palisades Fire recovery,' and discussing the city-state partnership on the Olympics and World Cup. The campaign added that 'people of LA saw twice last week that Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt are not up to the job as Mayor,' and that it was 'time to move past debates.'
Pratt's Rising Momentum
Pratt, a former star of MTV's The Hills, has been gaining traction in the mayoral race by criticizing Bass's handling of the January wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes, including his own $3.8 million property. He has also focused on issues like drug use and homelessness. A poll after Wednesday's debate showed about 90 percent of viewers believed Pratt outperformed Bass and councilmember Nithya Raman.
Pratt had already declined the invitation to the May 13 forum due to a scheduling conflict. He has regularly attacked Bass's liberal policies, saying, 'All the unions support Mayor Bass. You think it's easier to run against the incumbent mayor with all the unions, or a random city councilmember who has been a failure for six years?'
Organizers and Critics React
Mike Bonin, a former LA councilmember now with the Pat Brown Institute, told the Daily Mail that Bass's team initially confirmed her availability for May 13. He said Bass withdrew on Thursday, with her campaign consultant indicating 'they had debated their two main opponents, who made clear they were not up for the job, and they were done with debates.' Bonin expressed disappointment that voters would miss seeing Bass side-by-side with her main opponents.
Earlier this month, Bass accused Pratt of 'exploiting the grief' of wildfire victims, saying she had never heard of him before and calling his behavior 'reprehensible.'
Polling and Election Outlook
Recent polls show a tight race ahead of the June 2 primary. A UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs poll found Bass leading with 25 percent, Pratt at 11 percent, and Raman at nine percent. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll showed Bass at 25 percent, Raman at 17 percent, and Pratt at 14 percent. If no candidate wins over 50 percent, a run-off will be held on November 3.
The Daily Mail has reached out to both campaigns for further comment.
