Rep. Karen Bass to run for mayor of Los Angeles: report

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) will run for mayor of Los Angeles, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Bass has been eyeing the race for some time, and the Post, citing two people familiar with the situation, said that an announcement from the California Democrat could come as early as next week. 

Late last month, Bass started to signal that she was taking a mayoral bid seriously during an interview with KPCC-LAist.

“I have been overwhelmed and humbled by people pushing for me to do this, and I will say that I am seriously considering it,” she said during her interview with KPCC-LAist.

“[Running for mayor] was not something I had thought about before — I was planning to run for reelection. I am evaluating the situation now,” Bass told the news outlets.

When asked if Bass was entering the race, Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for the congresswoman, told The Hill in a statement: “Los Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis in homelessness and a public health crisis in the disproportionate impact this pandemic has had on Angelenos. She does not want to see these two issues tear the city apart, Los Angeles has to come together. That’s why the Congresswoman is considering a run for mayor.” 

In July, President Biden tapped Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) to be the United States’ ambassador to India, though the Senate has not yet confirmed his nomination. 

Bass was among a small group of candidates whom Biden considered for vice president before he picked former Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)

Bass also was a key negotiator on police reform legislation. Those talks ended this week with no agreement.

Bass would be joining Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer (D) and City Councilman Joe Buscaino (D) in the mayoral race.