Democratic Socialist Rae Huang Launches Mayoral Challenge to Karen Bass, Echoing Mamdani-Style Agenda

Rae Huang Enters Los Angeles Mayoral Race as Progressive Challenger

Democratic socialist Rae Huang has formally launched a campaign to unseat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, announcing her bid on Instagram. Huang, 43, described herself as a community organizer and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), saying her two decades of faith-driven social justice work have led her to run for the city’s top job.

Huang’s platform emphasizes universal housing, free public transportation, climate resiliency and broader affordability measures. Those priorities mirror the early agenda advanced by progressive leaders elsewhere — most notably the mayor-elect in New York, whose campaign similarly prioritized housing, transit and cost-of-living reforms.

Running against the establishment. Huang framed her campaign as a challenge to city elites and the "billionaire class," pledging not to accept corporate donations. In announcing her candidacy, she said the time has come to implement solutions long advocated by Los Angeles organizers and social justice movements.

"After over 20 years of leaning into my call to serve God through social justice work and organizing, this path has led me in these uncertain times to take the unusual path to continue my calling by running for Mayor to finally see through the changes the LA social justice movement and I have been building for years," Huang wrote on Instagram.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Huang avoided directly comparing herself to New York’s progressive victor but said she hopes to secure an endorsement from the local DSA chapter, which celebrated that win. She criticized Mayor Bass’s handling of homelessness and the city’s response to political violence over the summer, calling her campaign a "moment for change." "We are in a place in our country and in our political environment where folks feel stuck and afraid," Huang said. "They feel like nothing is going to change, and the things that are changing are making things even worse."

Mayor Bass’s office responded through spokesperson Doug Herman, who defended the mayor’s record and highlighted what he described as "unprecedented progress" on issues that matter to Angelenos. Herman pointed to consecutive declines in homelessness, reductions in crime in many neighborhoods, and rapid recovery efforts after the Palisades fire. He also credited Bass’s actions challenging federal immigration enforcement efforts in the city.

"Under Mayor Bass’s leadership, there has been unprecedented progress on the issues that matter most to Angelenos," Herman said. "Homelessness has declined for the first time in two consecutive years, neighborhoods are safer with significant drops in crime, and the Palisades fire recovery continues far ahead of pace..."

Huang’s entry follows a national trend of progressive and democratic socialist candidates mounting primary and general-election challenges to incumbent Democrats. Recent high-profile outcomes include New York’s progressive victory and Seattle’s surprise progressive win, where issues such as public grocery initiatives, higher taxes on the wealthiest, and expanded affordable housing factored prominently.

The report was updated to include a statement from Mayor Bass’s office.