State Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell announced her endorsement of City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the Los Angeles mayoral race on Tuesday, expressing sharp criticism of incumbent Mayor Karen Bass's leadership on several prominent issues. The announcement took place at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles, where Mitchell highlighted concerns ranging from the city’s emergency responses to public safety challenges and economic changes within the entertainment industry.

Mitchell specifically called out Bass’s handling of recent major incidents, including the 2025 Palisades fire and the recent Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights. The Palisades fire devastated thousands of homes and resulted in 12 fatalities, an event that has dominated much of the political discourse surrounding the mayor’s crisis management capabilities. Mitchell, whose district covers the area affected by the Palisades fire, voiced frustration, stating that the mayor has often deflected responsibility and failed to deliver effective leadership. “We need a mayor who knows how to make a difference,” Mitchell said, urging a shift away from what she described as "Basslighting"—a term implying manipulation or denial of facts.

Despite Mitchell’s endorsement, Bass continues to hold broad local political backing, including endorsements from four other county supervisors and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. The endorsement marks a further division in local political alignments, reflecting a deepening rivalry between Mitchell and Bass that has developed over the past year.

Mitchell and Bass were once allies, with Mitchell initially supporting Bass’s response to the city’s homelessness crisis and publicly endorsing her at the 2024 State of the City address. However, their relationship deteriorated following the Palisades fire, when Mitchell repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with Bass’s communication and operational approach toward emergency response and recovery efforts.

Another key point of contention is homelessness policy. Mitchell was instrumental in orchestrating the county’s removal of more than $300 million in funding from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, shifting it to a newly created county homelessness department. Bass has criticized this move, warning that expanding bureaucratic structures diminish incentives to solve homelessness. “Once you create a department, once you create a bureaucracy, it never goes away. And then where’s the incentive to actually end homelessness?” Bass said last month.

Bass’s position on homelessness funding is shared by several city officials. Last year, Bass and Raman co-signed a letter cautioning the county supervisors that the withdrawal of funds would lead to a "monumental disruption" in the city’s homelessness initiatives. Raman, along with four other council members, also personally appealed to the county supervisors to reconsider, but the funding shift proceeded.

Raman has also criticized the county for inadequate management of mental health services for homeless residents and has called for improved data transparency. Mitchell acknowledged differences between herself and Raman, stating, “It’s no secret that Nithya and I don’t agree on everything,” but emphasized mutual respect and a shared commitment to addressing homelessness challenges collaboratively.

Currently, Mitchell stands among a relatively small group of elected officials publicly backing Raman. Other endorsements for Raman include City Controller Kenneth Mejia, school board member Rocio Rivas, former Councilmember Bernard C. Parks, and former City Controller Laura Chick. The ongoing mayoral contest underscores the complex intersections of local politics, public safety, and social policy in Los Angeles as candidates position themselves ahead of the election.