In Tuesday night’s only televised debate before Election Day, once political allies, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman called into question the other’s credibility, each positioning themselves as the candidate Angelenos need to lead them through a housing and homelessness crisis, heightened immigration enforcement and the 2028 Olympic Games.
Raman opened the debate with a question former president Ronald Reagan posed during a presidential debate in 1980.
“Are you better off today than you were four years ago,” Raman asked. “As I’ve been around the city talking to voters through this campaign, the answer for too many of them has been no.”
Bass defended her record, particularly in addressing homelessness through her signature program: Inside Safe.
“We have reduced homelessness by 11%,” Bass said. “We’ve reduced veterans homelessness by 50%. There is a lot that needs to be done in the city, but the city is moving forward.”
A recent study by the RAND Corporation showed an undercount in the unhoused populations in Skid Row, Venice and Hollywood. Bass acknowledged that “there are weaknesses in the process.
The RAND Corporation also said that there was a 50% reduction in street homelessness in Hollywood as well.
Raman criticized Inside Safe as costly and lacking transparency.
“Under this mayor’s leadership, we have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into an incredibly expensive program, Inside Safe, which has been unaccountable to the public,” Raman said.
Bass responded by pointing out that the councilmember approved the budget for the homelessness program.
“It’s interesting that [Raman] has been the chair of the committee for a number of years, and every dollar that was spent on Inside Safe was approved by you,” Bass said.
On Aug. 11, the L.A. City Council voted to restructure the Housing and Homelessness Committee, splitting it into two and removing Raman from leadership.
“Your colleagues have a very difficult time working with you,” Bass said. “As a matter of fact, we had to twist their arms to get them to even serve on the committee. They were relieved when you were removed because they don’t find you to be basically honest.”
Raman questioned Bass on her leadership as Angelenos continue to navigate a surge in immigration enforcement.
“[I will] ensure that our LAPD is not sharing data with ICE with the use of flock cameras with license plate searches that LAPD has done for ICE, as has been reported in the press, tear gassing of protesters who are protesting ICE,” Raman said “What we have seen over and over is that this mayor has lost the trust of immigrants in this city in their response to ICE.”
Bass countered this remark asking “Why is it that I have the endorsement of major immigrant rights groups?”
In July 2025, Bass confronted ICE in McArthur Park after agents conducted an immigration sweep with a helicopter, armored vehicles and horses.
“When the raids happened, I worked and convened all of the immigrant rights organizations,” Bass said. “We provided cash assistance, we provided healthcare and other resources when families were afraid to leave their homes.”
Raman responded to a recent interview that sparked conflict when influencer Ed Choi called L.A. “extremely fascist,” and, in the video that has since been removed online, Raman did not appear to defend the city. According to the councilmember, Choi edited the video to appear misleading, claiming that she did not call Bass nor the police chief “fascist.”
“We made an error,” Raman said. “I would never imply that this city is racist,” she said, instead standing by her characterization of ICE as fascist.
Bass challenged this saying Raman called the city, police chief, and herself fascist in the video.
“It made me wonder whether you understood what the word fascism meant,” Bass said. “But it also just showed that you’re not ready for primetime.”
As L.A. prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games, Bass questioned Raman’s commitment to public safety, as the councilmember has repeatedly said she intends to remove LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.
“We are 640 days away from the largest sporting event to ever take place,” Bass said. “A major national security event, and if you think that you’re going to find a police chief, you would send the department in disarray by doing that.
Raman defended her pledge to replace McDonnell if she becomes mayor, but did not identify when in her term she planned to do so.
“I don’t believe this chief has met the moment,” Raman said. “I believe he’s lost the trust of Angelenos, especially in response to the ICE raids. There is no decision that I will take as your mayor that will put you in danger.”
Bass has come under scrutiny for not being in L.A. during the Palisades Fire in January 2025 and stalled reconstruction in the Pacific Palisades.
“I am so profoundly sorry that I was not in my city when my city needed me,” Bass said. “We have a thousand homes under construction right now. People are beginning to move back. I will not stop until every Palisadian who wants to go home has an opportunity to return home.”
Raman criticized Bass for not being in L.A. during the wildfires.
“We had the highest fire risk moment that the city had seen in over a decade,” Raman said. “This mayor didn’t even tell the fire chief that she was leaving the country.”
Election Day is set for Nov. 3 and mail-in-ballots have been delivered to voters throughout California. Early in-person voting is set to begin on Oct. 24.