The city of Los Angeles has yet to choose a new mayor. The bid for the United States' second largest city is led by two very different mayoral candidates: Rick Caruso, a billionaire and Republican making his first bid for an elected office, and Karen Bass, a veteran Democratic politician and former community activist. The liberal-leaning city's campaign is heating up as anger grows over rising homelessness, crime rates, and housing costs.

Bass, a six-term member of Congress representing parts of the Westside and South Los Angeles, has several advantages, some of which stem from her campaign and others from changes in the overall political environment. In one of her political advertisements, she stated her intention to run for Mayor to address today's issues, such as crime, homelessness, and the skyrocketing cost of housing. 

Bass proposes a plan to house 15,000 people during her first year in office, forge a city-county partnership, and maximize state funds. She also wants to convert existing properties into homes for the homeless. Bass also intends to expand treatment for mental illness and substance abuse in order to reduce homelessness. She was a co-founder of the Community Coalition in her teens, which empowered communities of color to change public policy regarding addiction, poverty, and violence, and those benefits begin with a far more favorable image among voters than Caruso has. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren all support her candidacy. The Congresswoman has already shown her legislative prowess for almost over a decade. 

On November 8, 2022, Angelenos will decide who would make the better Mayor for their city. Wouldn’t it be best, in a time when so much work is needed to be done, that we turn to someone who has experience in the political arena, the connections and the influence to get the job done! Karen Bass has my vote.