Democratic Socialist Rae Huang Emerges as LA’s Mamdani in Race Against Karen Bass

Rae Huang, a 43-year-old democratic socialist and longtime community organizer, has announced her candidacy for Los Angeles mayor, launching a direct challenge to incumbent Karen Bass according to MEA WorldWide and the Los Angeles Times. Huang said her campaign will focus on universal housing, fast and free public transportation, climate resiliency, affordability, and “real safety” grounded in care-first models designed to fight poverty rather than punish the poor.

Huang made her announcement on November 15 on Instagram, calling the decision an extension of more than 20 years spent answering what she described as her call to serve God through social-justice organizing. She wrote that her candidacy grew from years of movement work aimed at making the city more affordable, healthier, sustainable, and safe for all residents.

Her platform includes “housing for all,” an economy built “for the people—not billionaires,” free Metro service, and climate-focused initiatives. She added that she would not accept corporate donations and said she is “running against the establishment and the billionaire class” as she seeks to advance long-discussed solutions she has worked on with community organizers over the past decade.

Huang urged working people to join her effort, saying they are “the backbone of this country,” and argued that Los Angeles can be led with “love and justice at the center.” She described her campaign as a collective effort to transform “my beloved city” and create a version of Los Angeles that residents have long hoped to build together.

In comments to the Los Angeles Times, Huang said she hopes to earn the endorsement of the local Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chapter, which celebrated the recent victory of New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. She did not directly compare herself to Mamdani but said her own run represents “a moment for change.”

Huang criticized Mayor Karen Bass for her handling of homelessness and for what she described as failures to address recent political violence. She said many residents feel “stuck and afraid,” believing that changes in the city have made conditions worse.

Bass’s office dismissed the criticism. Spokesperson Doug Herman said that “under Mayor Karen Bass’s leadership,” Los Angeles has seen homelessness decline for two consecutive years, neighborhoods have become safer with significant drops in crime, and progress on Palisades fire recovery has moved far ahead of schedule. Herman also said Bass was a leading defender of the city during federal immigration actions, highlighting a court ruling the city won to halt “illegal raids and unconstitutional arrests” during the Trump administration.

BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]