Karen Bass and Nithya Raman tied in L.A. mayoral poll as celebrities endorse both

Voters head to the polls today in a dead-heat Los Angeles mayoral race between incumbent Karen Bass and progressive challenger Nithya Raman, with a final UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll showing both candidates tied at 40% support among likely voters.

With 19% of the electorate still undecided, the final hours of the campaign have seen a heavy wave of high-profile celebrity endorsements designed to sway those remaining persuadables.

The Star-Studded Coalition Behind Incumbent Karen Bass

Bass has secured public backing from a prominent roster of actors, comedians, and activists, including Jane Fonda, Yvette Nicole Brown, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Samuel L. Jackson, Kym Whitley, D.L. Hughley, Dustin Lance Black, George Lopez, and Stevie Wonder. Several of these supporters collaborated on a series of coordinated videos with matching formatting released over the past two weeks.

Instagram

Samuel L. Jackson pointed directly to the difficulties of local governance when explaining his support for the incumbent.

Battling the nationwide homeless epidemic is the hardest job in American government. Karen Bass walked toward it in one day. Her opponent chaired the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee and canceled meetings on it. It’s easy to run a pilot in one district and call it a model. Try doing it in 15 districts with Washington cutting your funding while the whole country watches. That’s the job, and Karen Bass has done it.

The campaign also included a few lighter moments, such as when Bass posted a video of drag queen Trixie Mattel’s voting PSA to her account. Mattel noted watching 18 hours of news a day before offering a casual nod to the mayor.

Instagram

Nithya Raman Secures Celebrity Endorsements for Grassroots Campaign Events

On the other side of the ballot, Nithya Raman has drawn endorsements from Bob Odenkirk, Mindy Kaling, Adam Scott, Joel Kim Booster, Caleb Hearon, Poppy Liu, P. J. Byrne, Adam Conover, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Jaboukie Young-White. Raman’s campaign utilized a more event-driven strategy, integrating celebrity supporters into specific community gatherings rather than relying solely on coordinated digital clips.

Mindy Kaling focused her endorsement on the local entertainment economy and the protection of production jobs across the region.

Los Angeles mayor's race: Karen Bass, Nithya Raman make final pitch to voters

There’s one issue that I can speak to from experience: Keeping Hollywood jobs in Los Angeles. Yes, it’s actors and directors, but I’m also talking about the crew, electricians, grips, hair and makeup artists, drivers, set builders, editors — and then there’s the restaurants, the dry cleaners and the small businesses that depend on productions being here. And Nithya’s plan is to fight for that work to stay in town. She wants stronger, dependable state tax incentives, and a film office that actively works to keep production in town.

Other notable figures engaged with Raman through distinct forums. Luxury real estate broker and reality television personality Jason Oppenheim discussed policy with the challenger on a cross-posted video and a podcast appearance, while Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly hosted an off-the-record meeting at his L.A. office involving Raman and figures from Hollywood and other local industries.

The Final Stretch Before Polls Close

While the heavy hitters from the entertainment industry divided their loyalties between the two candidates, other notable names chose a neutral path, simply encouraging their followers to cast ballots without backing a specific contender.

Instagram

More on Karen Bass

🚨Los Angeles, CA Mayor🚨 🟢 Nithya Raman – 50% 🔵 Karen Bass (Inc) – 49.9% 54% of expected votes in

— https://x.com/ThePoliticalHQ/status/2117905841064222897