The First Female Mayor Elected in LA, USA ... Second African American to Hold the Position

Former Democratic U.S. House Rep. Karen Bass Confirmed as First Black Woman Mayor
Considered Biden's Running Mate During Presidential Election... Homelessness Solution as Top Priority

Karen Bass, U.S. Representative

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Junran] The first female mayor has been elected in Los Angeles (LA), USA. On the 16th (local time), according to local media such as CNN and The New York Times, with over 70% of the LA mayoral election votes counted, Karen Bass (69), a federal congresswoman, secured 53% of the votes, confirming her victory. The vote difference between her and her opponent Caruso, who received 46.9% of the votes, was about 47,000 votes, and foreign media reported that her election was confirmed regardless of the remaining votes.

Bass, a member of the Democratic Party who has served in the state legislature and federal Congress, said in her victory speech, "We are fighting for the soul of the city," and "We will build a new Los Angeles." Bass narrowly defeated billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, who spent over $100 million (about 130 billion KRW) on this election. Caruso's campaign reportedly called to congratulate the winner.

Bass, who was once on the final shortlist for Vice President candidate for President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, will lead LA, a large city with a population of 4 million, as the first female and the second Black mayor in history. The first Black mayor of LA was Tom Bradley, who served for over 20 years starting in 1973.

Bass, a former state legislature leader, received support from President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Democratic establishment as a Democrat. CNN analyzed that Bass earned respect from Democratic colleagues and voters due to her decades of experience shaping public policies in areas such as child welfare, foster care, and prison reform.

Bass prioritized solving the homelessness issue. Although crime rates have decreased and public safety somewhat improved compared to the 1990s when Black riots occurred, LA faces a severe homelessness problem with tens of thousands of residents living on the streets, in tents, and in junk vehicles amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign media explained that Bass is taking office at a time when widespread urban crime, including daytime robberies in a downtown area with over 40,000 homeless people, is spreading anxiety.

After confirming her victory, Bass tweeted, "LA is my home, and I am ready to serve the citizens with all my heart," adding, "I will do my best from day one." She said her first executive order would be to declare a state of emergency for the homeless and begin evacuating thousands of homeless people to shelters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.