Democratic Socialist Launches Bid to Unseat Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles

Democratic socialist candidate Rae Huang has launched a campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, setting up a challenge to Democratic incumbent Karen Bass. Huang announced her candidacy Saturday in a statement posted to her Instagram account.

“I am excited and very humbled to announce that I am running for Mayor of Los Angeles, the second largest city in our nation,” Huang wrote.

I am excited and very humbled to announce that I am running for Mayor of Los Angeles, the second largest city in our nation. Join our launch celebration, https://t.co/NdaSArY2AW #LosAngeles #Mayor #RaeforLA pic.twitter.com/O9rsVgZz9G

— Rae Huang (@raeforla) November 15, 2025

She said she has spent more than two decades pursuing “social justice work and organizing” and stated that her decision to run stems from her desire “to finally see through the changes the LA social justice movement and I have been building for years.”

Huang, 43, is a community organizer and member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

She said her campaign will focus on universal housing, free transportation, climate resiliency and affordability.

“I was unemployed for 8 months + fearful about how I was going to stay housed with my 2 children. Housing is a basic human need that I needed for not only myself, but for my children, my whole family, to be able to survive.” -Rae Huang, @HousingNowCA pic.twitter.com/qHMqOtbGg5

— Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (@ChanZuckerberg) June 21, 2023

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The issues she highlighted resemble those emphasized during the initial campaign of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Huang wrote that a central part of her effort will be to challenge what she describes as the establishment.

“Over the past decade, I have worked with Los Angeles organizers and neighbors on solutions for our city. Now it’s time we implement them. I will be running against establishment and the billionaire class and will not be accepting any money from corporations,” she stated.

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Huang did not directly compare herself to Mamdani but said she hopes to earn the endorsement of the local DSA chapter, which celebrated Mamdani’s recent election victory.

Huang also criticized Bass’ leadership on homelessness and the response to political violence during the summer months.

She described her own campaign as a “moment for change.”

“We are in a place in our country and in our political environment where folks feel stuck and afraid,” Huang said.

“They feel like nothing is going to change, and the things that are changing are making things even worse.”

Bass spokesperson Doug Herman responded to the announcement in a statement to Fox News Digital, defending the mayor’s record.

“Under Mayor Bass’s leadership, there has been unprecedented progress on the issues that matter most to Angelenos,” Herman said.

He noted that “homelessness has declined for the first time in two consecutive years,” and stated that crime has seen “significant drops.”

Herman also referenced the ongoing Palisades fire recovery effort, saying it continues “far ahead of pace with the fastest recovery and rebuilding in California history.”

Herman added that Bass had taken a strong stance against enforcement actions carried out by federal immigration authorities.

“In addition, there was no better defender of Los Angeles than Mayor Karen Bass when Trump’s ICE raids started and we won a court ruling to help stop the illegal raids and unconstitutional arrests. That’s what we need to move Los Angeles forward,” he said.

Huang’s candidacy comes during a period in which progressive candidates have mounted challenges against Democratic incumbents in multiple cities.

Last week, progressive activist Katie Wilson defeated Seattle Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell.

Seattle has highest concentration of college degrees… and this is the best they could produce for mayor.

Katie Wilson, a communist 43-years-old whose husband doesn’t work and her parents pay for her kids child care.

She dropped out of Oxford right before graduation and… pic.twitter.com/60qaITVHHA

— PNW Conservative (@UnderWashington) November 16, 2025

Similar to Mamdani, Wilson campaigned on government-backed grocery stores, increased taxes on wealthy residents, and expanded affordable housing programs.