Overview
- The first head-to-head runoff debate took place on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center and was broadcast on LAist 89.3 FM and streamed online.
- Homelessness, housing affordability and public safety dominated the exchange as Bass defended citywide efforts and Raman pushed a timeline to sharply reduce street homelessness citywide.
- A recently exposed fake poll that showed Bass ahead by nearly 12 points drew attention during the debate after Median Strategies acknowledged producing the purported survey.
- Bass enters the fall with broad establishment endorsements and a large fundraising and public-matching advantage, while Raman highlights a 49% drop in unsheltered homelessness in her council district and has the city controller’s endorsement.
- The debate makes clear the campaign will hinge on voters’ views of basic service delivery and trust in information, and the fall will show whether endorsements, ad spending and messaging shift public opinion before ballots arrive.