Good morning and welcome to L.A. on the Record, our City Hall newsletter.
In recent news, Zohran Mamdani’s significant victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary has caught the attention of progressive leaders in Los Angeles.
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez hailed this win as perhaps the most significant victory for a socialist candidate in America.
Alongside him, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez emphasized its importance for Angelenos, stating, “What it shows is that we can win. We can win in major cities.”
The enthusiasm was palpable with Councilmember Ysabel Jurado expressing her excitement, declaring, “Having a DSA-backed mayor is freaking amazing,” as she celebrated Mamdani’s potential general election win in November.
Mamdani’s unexpected primary win over Andrew Cuomo has injected new energy into the left side of Los Angeles politics.
A member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) remarked that it felt like a definitive comeback for their movement.
However, the differing political landscapes of New York City and Los Angeles are stark.
Mamdani is a 33-year-old democratic socialist who made his way into the New York state assembly in 2020 with a far-left platform that includes proposals like freezing rents in stabilized apartments and making city buses free.
In contrast, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has openly criticized the ongoing immigration policies enacted by the current federal administration.
The heightened focus on immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump’s administration, which has seen California National Guard and U.S. Marines deployed to Los Angeles, has caused the city’s progressive and moderate Democrats to align, navigating the complexities of this crisis together.
As the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election approaches, the progressive council members acknowledged the distinct political realities between the two cities.
“We don’t have a candidate on the left … as a progressive. We have Mayor Karen Bass, who is running again,” Hernandez stated.
She expressed confidence in Bass’s leadership during the current immigration crisis, noting, “She’s moving how she needs to move and has been doing a good job at least in handling this crisis that we’re in right now.”
While Bass prepares for reelection, speculation arose about potential challengers like businessman Rick Caruso, whom she previously defeated in 2022, especially in light of her responses to devastating wildfires earlier this year.
However, no progressive candidate has emerged to oppose her at this time.
Additionally, Bass’s performance in the face of immigration challenges may still affect how progressive voters view her candidacy moving forward.
According to Marc Krause, co-chair of DSA-LA, the organization presently has no plans to put forth a mayoral candidate.
He indicated that their priority lies in pursuing legislative reforms and representation in the City Council.
“For DSA-LA, our big goal and recent strategy is to try to win a majority on the L.A. City Council,” Krause stated.
Reflecting on DSA-LA’s recent successes, he noted that Mamdani’s primary victory showcased the viability of their objectives.
Councillors Hernandez and Soto-Martínez’s wins in 2022, along with Nithya Raman’s 2020 election with DSA support, embody a growing leftist presence in the council.
Jurado, also backed by DSA-LA, joined this bloc in 2024, further strengthening their position.
These four members have collectively shifted the council’s dynamics, advocating for progressive initiatives like a $30 minimum wage for tourism workers and budgets aimed at slowing police hiring.
However, the challenge remains for DSA-LA to secure their legislative goals, specifically regarding a stronger rent stabilization ordinance, improved transit infrastructure, and better worker wages.
Krause anticipates the potential to elect eight DSA-backed councilmembers or to forge coalitions with other officials sharing their policy vision.
He expressed optimism about the movement’s growth, citing that DSA-LA gained 50 new members on the night of Mamdani’s primary victory without any concerted recruitment efforts.
“We’ll likely be doing more intentional recruitment,” he commented.
In related developments, recent analysis revealed that many undocumented immigrants apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the L.A. area had no prior criminal convictions.
A review of data from UC Berkeley Law indicated that 69% of those arrested between June 1 and June 10 had no criminal records, and 58% had never been charged with any crime.
Meanwhile, a federal judge’s decision a few days ago declined to place L.A.’s homelessness programs under receivership, although the city was noted to have failed to meet the terms of a legal settlement concerning its homelessness crisis.
Moreover, the city moved forward with legal action against the Trump administration, seeking to prevent immigration agents from conducting unconstitutional stops or arrests.
Seven councilmembers endorsed a letter urging City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto to prioritize these legal efforts to guard against racial profiling and wrongful detentions of residents.
In labor relations, a new agreement with L.A. County’s largest labor union, SEIU 721, is projected to cost over $2 billion over the next three years.
This deal includes a substantial $5,000 bonus for members in the first year, pending ratification by the union’s members.
In a legal development concerning the Trump administration, a federal court indicated that they might soon be required to hand over documents related to military activities in Southern California, which previously remained under Trump’s control.
Additionally, the Los Angeles Board of Education approved an $18.8 billion budget that will secure job stability for the district this year by cutting back on proposed contributions to a retiree health benefit trust fund.
As for Mayor Bass’s homelessness initiative, it has recently expanded to Marmion Way and North Avenue 57, as confirmed by her office.
Looking ahead, the City Council will enter summer recess on Wednesday and will remain out of session until July 29.
Overall, the shifting political landscape in Los Angeles is increasingly shaped by both local and national influences, especially as progressive voices seek to gain momentum in a challenging environment.
The unfolding scenarios in both New York and Los Angeles continue to serve as vital reference points for the future of progressive politics in urban America.
image source from：latimes
