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PHOTOS: L.A. mayoral debate at USC

The frontrunners in the race for L.A. mayor debate at USC’s Bovard Auditorium

By Yannick Peterhans and Dua Anjum
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(Photo by Dua Anjum)

The third Los Angeles mayoral debate was hosted by USC’s Dornsife Center for the Political Future, the L.A. Times, and FOX 11 News on March 22. The five front runners, Rick Caruso, Karen Bass, Kevin de León, Joe Buscaino and Mike Feuer met at USC’s Bovard Auditorium and spoke about homelessness, policing, crime and COVID-19 restrictions. The debate was moderated by L.A. Times columnist Erika D. Smith and FOX 11 News anchor Elex Michaelson.

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Kevin de León fixes his hair as he gears up for the beginning of the debate. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Karen Bass throws the “Fight On” sign as the debate moderator and Fox 11 News’ Elex Michaelson clarifies USC did not have any influence on the debate's questions. Bass graduated from USC in 2015 with a master’s degree in social work. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Joe Buscaino is seen on a television behind him on the stage. Buscaino is a former LAPD police officer and currently serves as a council-member on the L.A. City Council. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Mike Feuer speaks at the debate on Tuesday night. Feuer is the city attorney for Los Angeles, and has been serving as the chief prosecutor for the city since 2015. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Cassie Esparza, a journalism graduate student at USC, asks what the candidates believe Mayor Eric Garcetti did wrong and what he did right, as well as what they would build upon from Garcetti’s tenure. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Joe Buscaino laughs after Feuer and de León shook hands to the amusement of the crowd. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Rick Caruso motions after mentioning he had given money to everybody on stage. Kevin de León was quick to interject, claiming to be the only candidate Caruso had not donated money to in the past. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Chloe Hirth, a public policy graduate student at USC, asks what tangible action the candidates would take to make the increasingly diverse city of Los Angeles more equitable for Angelenos. (Photo by Dua Anjum)

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Karen Bass laughs and motions while speaking to USC students at the end of Tuesday night’s debate. (Photo by Yannick Peterhans)

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Kevin de León holds a child in his arms, they both wave to people off-stage as audience members approach the stage with the debate’s conclusion. (Photo by Dua Anjum)

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Annenberg TV News reporter Chrissa Loukas interviews Joe Buscaino in the press room after the debate wraps up. Buscaino is against defunding the LAPD and plans to bolster the police force. "I responded to your 911 calls for 15 plus years," he said during the debate. (Photo by Dua Anjum)