The Winner of Los Angeles' First Mayoral Debate Appears to Be None Other Than the Moderator

The first official Los Angeles mayoral debate kicked off Thursday night, as the city inches closer to choosing between crazy and crazier. 

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman sparred over homelessness, housing, police staffing, public safety, and their respective records at City Hall. Unfortunately for Angelenos, both candidates have plenty to answer for. Bass represents more of the same failed leadership, while Raman offers an even more progressive version of the same policies, repackaged in the language of empathy. 

Some may say Raman won the debate. I disagree. The real winner was the moderator, who managed to land a few well-deserved shots while two failed politicians argued over who bears less responsibility for the city’s out-of-control homelessness crisis.

The LA mayoral debate last night turned HEATED as the moderator got in on ROASTING Karen Bass and Nithya Raman for the homelessness crisis. 🔥

(Raman and Bass argue over homeless encampments)

Moderator: "This is the issue. The audience doesn't know who to believe, and they… pic.twitter.com/MVRhhD31tA

— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) August 20, 2026

As Bass and Raman argued over how much homelessness had declined, and, more importantly, which of them deserved credit for it, the debate predictably devolved into a shouting match. The correct answer, of course, was neither. That is when Fox 11 LA’s Phil Shuman stepped in and silenced them both:

"See, this is the issue, is that the audience doesn't know who to believe," he said. "And they don't have a lot of confidence, and either of you have the definitive plan."

Unfortunately, that lack of confidence characterizes much of Los Angeles’s political leadership: officials claim to have plans, argue over statistics, and take credit for marginal improvements while the city itself continues to deteriorate. It also pours salt in the wound of Spencer Pratt’s disappointing defeat in the city’s primary just months ago.

Who is leading the race between Mayor Bass and Raman remains unclear. But with Angelenos understandably frustrated by Bass’s leadership, many expect Raman to emerge victorious, because when one set of failed progressive policies disappoints, Los Angeles apparently responds by demanding a more aggressive version. For conservatives who thought the city had already exhausted its capacity for self-inflicted decline, buckle up. Los Angeles may be preparing to demonstrate that there is, in fact, always a lower floor.

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