Lindsey Horvath Endorses Raman as Rick Caruso Declines to Back Either Candidate

County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath has officially endorsed challenger Nithya Raman for Los Angeles mayor, providing a significant boost to her campaign in the Westside and San Fernando Valley. This move marks a sharp deterioration in relations between Horvath and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, who previously enjoyed Horvath’s support before their public split following the January 2025 Palisades fire. Horvath praised Raman’s willingness to disrupt institutional inertia, particularly regarding homelessness and housing affordability, stating that such leadership is what voters are clamoring for Source: LA Times.

The endorsement places Raman in a difficult position regarding political capital; while Horvath supports her, 13 of Raman’s City Council colleagues have endorsed Bass, with one colleague voting for the incumbent despite reservations. Bass retains the lion’s share of political endorsements, including support from all four other county supervisors and Sheriff Robert Luna.

Conversely, billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso declined to endorse either candidate, citing "extreme concern" over Raman’s plan to replace Police Chief Jim McDonnell. While Caruso commended Bass for working with teams during the post-fire recovery, he warned that removing McDonnell could throw the LAPD into disarray before the 2028 Olympics. Caruso criticized Raman’s alignment with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) supporters, arguing it would take the city in the wrong direction Source: latimes.

Key points of contention include:

• Police Leadership: Raman plans to replace Chief McDonnell due to concerns over LAPD cooperation with federal ICE agents, a stance Bass strongly opposes Source: latimes.
• Homeless Funding: A historical rift exists over $300 million shifted from city to county agencies, with Bass criticizing the creation of new bureaucracy while Horvath spearheaded the shift Source: LA Times.
• Political Isolation: Raman struggles to secure fellow elected officials’ support compared to Bass’s broad coalition Source: LA Times.