Karen Bass faces a surprisingly ugly week as her reelection campaign shuffles senior staff and prepares for a November runoff against City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist who surged into second place. The campaign announced Douglas Herman’s departure and the arrival of Julie Chávez Rodriguez, a strategist with ties to the 2024 Biden and Harris efforts, and critics are already questioning whether this is the right move. Tensions inside the campaign, uncertified vote totals, and a divided field that includes reality TV veteran Spencer Pratt make this a high-stakes moment for Los Angeles politics. This piece walks through the shakeup, reactions, and what it suggests about the mayor’s standing ahead of the general election.
Los Angeles is headed toward a November rematch between Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman after primary tallies left Bass with about 34.27 percent and Raman at roughly 29.02 percent. The vote totals have not been certified, which leaves a cloud over the official result and gives opponents room to question the campaign’s stability. Spencer Pratt finished third with approximately 25.53 percent, a surprise that showed voters were willing to try something different in a city that many believe is slipping.
The major headline from the campaign is the exit of Douglas Herman, who had been working with Bass since 2021, and his replacement by Julie Chávez Rodriguez. Chávez Rodriguez is described as having run Unidos Con Karen Bass 2026, focusing on Latino turnout during the primary, and she previously served as a campaign manager for the Biden and Harris 2024 efforts. That pedigree is a mixed blessing in conservative circles, where the 2024 Democratic efforts are remembered as underperforming and chaotic.
Herman offered a terse explanation for his departure, pointing to “strategic differences” as the reason he stepped down. The Bass campaign declined to elaborate beyond confirming the personnel change, and the sudden nature of the move left observers wondering what internal disagreements pushed a veteran adviser out. When a campaign substitutes seasoned local operatives with Washington-connected figures after a thin primary showing, it sends a signal of panic more than confidence.
Douglas Herman, who has worked with Bass since 2021, told The Times on Wednesday that he stepped down from the campaign earlier in the day. He is being replaced by Julie Chávez Rodriguez, who was campaign manager for the Biden and Harris presidential campaigns in 2024, a Bass spokesperson said.
Chávez Rodriguez has spent the past few months running Unidos Con Karen Bass 2026, an independent expenditure campaign that focused on Latino voter turnout during the primary.
Herman, asked about his departure, said he left due to “strategic differences” regarding the direction of the reelection campaign. He did not provide details.
The Bass spokesperson, Alex Stack, declined to discuss Herman’s exit.
Several commentators voiced skepticism about bringing in a manager associated with the Biden-Harris operation, arguing it is not the kind of experience you reach for when your city needs pragmatic fixes. One strategist bluntly framed the swap as trading experienced Obama-era professionals for a team associated with Kamala Harris, and he painted it as a misstep. In a city dealing with real problems—public safety, homelessness, and fiscal strain—campaign theatrics won’t persuade voters who want results.
“Mayor Bass essentially replaced a team of professionals that worked with Barack Obama for one that worked with Kamala Harris — not a good trade in my opinion,” strategist Matt Klink told The California Post.
https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2069874135438635048
“The rationale of ‘strategic differences’ could mean anything, but it does suggest a mayoral campaign that’s worried and not confident heading into November’s general election,” he added.
Voters who are already skeptical of Bass have plenty of ammunition. Her time in office has been accompanied by headlines and lawsuits, and many conservatives argue that the city’s decline has accelerated under current leadership. The move to bring in a figure tied to national Democratic struggles will not calm those critics; if anything, it sharpens the narrative that the mayor lacks local solutions and is leaning on national fixers.
Nithya Raman’s ascent complicates the picture. She is openly aligned with democratic socialist ideas, and that ideological shift energized a portion of the electorate in the primary. Her policy prescriptions, like moves to limit backyard barbecues on extreme fire days, are easy to lampoon but also resonate with voters who want aggressive action on climate risk and public safety. The binary choice in November will be framed as continuity versus a more radical alternative, and both sides will try to make their case in a city hungry for change.
Pratt, despite finishing third, has promised to remain vocal and continue exposing what he calls a “corrupt machine,” claiming he entered the race to challenge the status quo rather than to win conventional political power. His theatrics and willingness to attack the political class keep him in the conversation, and his energized base could shape turnout dynamics in November. For conservatives watching Los Angeles politics, his role adds an unpredictable element to the race.
The personnel shakeup makes the campaign’s immediate strategy unclear. Replacing a long-term strategist mid-campaign suggests deep disagreement about messaging, target voters, or the direction of field operations. In a runoff that will likely hinge on turnout and swing voters, cohesion matters more than flashy hires or national-brand names.
What’s certain is this: the coming months promise a bruising contest where voters will judge leadership on tangible city outcomes. For critics of the mayor, the change at the top looks like a sign of weakness; supporters will argue it’s a tactical pivot to shore up Latino turnout and broaden appeal. Between uncertified totals, a socialist challenger, and a former reality star who refuses to go away, Los Angeles politics are anything but settled.
“Hey morons. I didn’t get in this for political power. I got in this to expose this corrupt machine. Nothing’s changed. You enjoy your worthless meetings in City Hall. I’ve been lighting you up every single day and now I don’t have to worry about offending CNN viewers. I don’t have campaign laws hamstringing me now. It’s war.”
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