Kamala Harris doubles down on Karen Bass endorsement one day before midterm elections

The Democratic party called on Vice President Kamala Harris to help in the final push to secure Karen Bass as L.A.’s next mayor just in time for tomorrow’s midterm elections. Harris, joined by other L.A. Democrats, spoke at a UCLA Get Out the Vote rally on Monday, where she urged young people to vote and protect their freedoms, especially their reproductive rights.

“Karen Bass has a long history of always being on the side of the people and fighting for the people whose voices aren’t in the room but must be present. That’s who Karen Bass has always been. It’s what she will always be, and that’s why she will be the next mayor of Los Angeles,” Harris said.

Congresswoman Bass has represented portions of western and southwestern L.A. in Congress for the past six years. She is widely supported by Democrats and has been endorsed by President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. Her opponent is real estate mogul Rick Caruso, a longtime Republican who changed his party affiliation to Democrat shortly before announcing his run. Caruso was viewed as the underdog in a city that rarely votes for candidates with Republican values. If Bass maintains her lead, L.A. would see its first woman and second Black individual as its mayor.

But while Bass dominated the polls in past months, Caruso has gained significant ground. Caruso’s campaign spent $100 million in attack advertisements, a tactic presumed to have swayed previously undecided voters.

On Monday, a line of eager young Democrats wrapped around UCLA’s Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center hours before doors opened for the Harris-Bass rally. Attendees cheered in-between the vice president’s remarks and chanted “Kamala”.

During her speech, Harris passionately condemned the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, saying, “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.”

Monday’s rally was organized by the Bruin Democrats, where UCLA student Bailey Swain encouraged fellow students to support Bass.

“I know that as a young Black woman who values a woman’s right to choose in 2022, I can’t afford to miss an election. And if you guys agree with me, we cannot afford to skip out and vote for anyone except for Karen Bass.”

While Bass and Caruso have both presented themselves as fervently pro-choice in their campaigns, many Democrats raise an eyebrow at Caruso’s stance. Caruso has yet to fulfill a $1 million pledge from May to support abortion rights and has a long history of donating to anti-choice politicians.

“Her opponent calls himself a Democrat, but only registered as a Democrat 18 days prior to pulling his papers,” Gonzalez said. “He cannot fool voters and he cannot buy this election because Los Angeles is not for sale.”