Today is that day, and the race is in full swing: The latest poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Government Studies (co-sponsored by The Times) I found it to be 40%. A majority of L.A. voters said they supported incumbent Karen Bass, while another 40% backed progressive challenger Nithya Raman for mayor of Los Angeles.
That leaves 19% undecided, and that may be the voters the celebrities are trying to reach with their latest endorsements. Jane Fonda, Yvette Nicole Brown, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Samuel L. Jackson, Kim Whitley, D. L. Hughley, Dustin Lance BlackGeorge Lopez and Stevie Wonder all expressed public support for Bass. Meanwhile Bob OdenkirkMindy Kaling Adam ScottJoel Kim Booster, Caleb Hearon, Poppy LiuP.J. Byrne, Adam ConoverBrennan Lee Mulligan and Jaboukie Young-White did the same for Raman.
“Tackling the nationwide homeless epidemic is the toughest job in American government,” Jackson said. “Karen Bass walked toward that goal in one day. Her opponent chaired the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee and canceled meetings on the issue. It’s easy to pilot one county and call it a model. Try doing it in 15 counties while Washington cuts your funding while the whole country watches. That’s the job, and Karen Bass did it.”
In the other camp, Kaling said: “There’s one thing I can speak to from experience: keeping Hollywood jobs in Los Angeles. Yes, there’s actors and directors, but I’m also talking about crew, electricians, handles, hair and makeup artists, drivers, set builders, editors — and then there’s restaurants, dry cleaners, and small businesses that depend on productions being here. And Nithya’s plan is to fight to keep that job in the city. She wants stronger, reliable state tax incentives and production in the city.” “A film office that is actively working to keep it.”
There were also a few gray areas: Bass posted a video on his account of drag queen Trixie Mattel voting for the PSA, but Mattel did not publicly endorse her as a candidate. “I watch about 18 hours of news a day, so sitting next to Karen was kind of crazy; she’s like my third roommate in my house.” Mattel said. “Then yell at Karen.”
Jason Oppenheim, a luxury real estate broker known for his role in the reality series “Selling Sunset,” had an argument with Raman: cross-posted posted it on both of his accounts and also interviewed him on Graham Stephan’s podcast,”Iced Coffee Time.” And Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly unrecorded meeting in the Los Angeles office with Raman and figures from Hollywood and other industries.
Bass’ supporters have regularly posted a series of coordinated, collaborative videos on their social media accounts over the past two weeks; several of them were in matching formats (including Fonda, Anderson, Cedric, Hughley and Lopez). Bass also appeared in some videos.
Supported by the most admired celebrities featured here, sent MondayLopez said: “Karen Bass is like tia who shows up with a huge bowl of bozole before anyone gets hungry. She’ll keep fighting for us, but también we have to fight for her too.”
Raman’s campaign, on the other hand, had a more organic approach, involving celebrities in certain events. National Coming Out Day Featuring Booster (and drag queen Pickle), “dungeons & Dragons for the city” game master Brennan Lee Mulligan and a fundraiser Election Eve Party Along with Young-White (and comedians Kiran Deol, Jared Goldstein and Brittani Nichols).
Hearon shouted at Chappell while hosting Roan’s Super Graphics Amazing fundraiser Byrne posted an Instagram story with her son after voting for Raman for the singer’s Midwest Princess Project, which supports transgender youth and LGBTQ+ communities.
Raman’s top celebrity endorsement here wasn’t cross-posted to his account, but rather came from Mulligan’s own account escape from vote video. “I support Nithya Raman for mayor of Los Angeles and Marissa Roy for city attorney,” she said, wearing an “I Voted” sticker on her forehead. “And I would say this: There are great candidates all over the country.”
While other celebrities encouraged their fans to do their civic duty and vote without endorsing any candidate, others focused on the California gubernatorial election and key Senate races.