Latino voters propelled Karen Bass to victory in the Los Angeles mayoral primary, giving the incumbent mayor a commanding advantage in heavily Latino neighborhoods across the city.
Bass, who is seeking reelection, significantly outperformed Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman and Republican candidate Spencer Pratt in communities with large Latino populations during the June 2 primary.
The Los Angeles Times reported June 12 that an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data and Los Angeles County election records showed Bass winning 35 heavily Latino areas, including Boyle Heights, Pacoima and Historic South-Central.
That represented a significant increase from the 2022 mayoral election, when Bass won 24 such areas.
Raman finished second in seven Latino-majority communities, including Highland Park, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights. Pratt won only one heavily Latino area, Harbor City.
Political observers largely attributed Bass’ strong performance to her vocal opposition to federal immigration enforcement operations last year, which helped mobilize Latino voters.
Nilza Serrano, president of Avance Democratic Club, a Latino Democratic organization, said Bass’ willingness to directly confront the Trump administration helped consolidate support within the community.
“Latino voters came together after seeing Mayor Bass stand up and fight the Donald Trump administration,” Serrano said.
Bass also strengthened her campaign organization by securing endorsements from Avance and other major Latino groups, as well as influential elected officials and community leaders.
Matt Barreto, a political science professor at UCLA, said Bass’ alliances with respected figures in the Latino community and her efforts to build a durable political base were among her greatest strengths.
Pratt, by contrast, struggled to expand his support among Latino voters.
He did not clearly define his position on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and failed to secure backing from prominent Latino donors or established political organizations.
Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, said Pratt did not offer a message capable of uniting Latino voters.
Guerra also noted that Pratt invested very little in campaigning across heavily Latino neighborhoods.
Latino voters currently account for about 37% of the Los Angeles electorate, making them one of the most influential voting blocs in the city.
Polls conducted shortly before the election had shown a highly competitive race without a clear frontrunner.
A UC Berkeley poll in March placed Bass first with 29%. But in May, Raman surged to 24%, moving ahead of Pratt at 21% and Bass at 20%.
Despite those polling shifts, Bass ultimately built a decisive advantage in Latino communities.
Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Bass’ reelection campaign, said the mayor has maintained deep ties to the community for decades.
“Mayor Bass has shared the struggles and experiences of this community for decades as a parent and grandparent of Latino children,” Stack said. “She has always been someone who stands at the front of the fight for the Latino community.”
