After a planned Los Angeles mayoral debate was canceled last week when Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman withdrew, at least four of the five major candidates in the race are scheduled to appear Wednesday at a mayoral forum at Los Angeles Valley College.
The event, hosted by the college and the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, will feature one-on-one conversations between candidates and moderator Alex Cohen, the national political anchor for Spectrum News 1, rather than a traditional debate format, organizers said.
Bass, Raman, businessman Adam Miller and community advocate Rae Huang confirmed to organizers they would participate. Reality television personality Spencer Pratt was also invited but had not confirmed his attendance as of Monday afternoon.
Topics scheduled for discussion include homelessness, housing affordability, public safety, transportation, government accountability and preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.
“As Los Angeles continues to navigate complex challenges, it is critical that Valley residents and businesses have a clear understanding of where candidates stand on the issues that impact economic growth, job creation and the overall health of our region,” Nancy Hoffman Vanyek, president and CEO of the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “This forum provides an opportunity to hear directly from those seeking to lead our city.”
Participation in the forum was limited to candidates meeting criteria based on fundraising and polling benchmarks, according to organizers.
The event comes after a Los Angeles mayoral debate scheduled for broadcast on Fox 11 was canceled last week after Bass and Raman withdrew from participating. That debate, organized by the League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, had invited Bass, Raman, Miller, Huang and Pratt. Pratt declined to participate, citing a scheduling conflict.
Bass announced May 9 that she would not take part in the event, and Raman withdrew the following day, saying she had agreed to participate in order to debate Bass. With only Miller and Huang remaining, organizers canceled the event.
On May 6, Bass, Raman and Pratt participated in a televised NBC4 debate ahead of the June 2 primary election.
Additionally, Bass and Raman debated the day before in a private event hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association.
“We debated our top two opponents twice this week, and it’s been made clear that neither is up to the job,” Alex Stack of the Bass campaign told City News Service after Bass withdrew from last week’s event, adding, “The time for debates is over.”
When Bass, Raman and Pratt shared the stage during the NBC4 debate, they clashed over homelessness, public safety and housing, offering competing visions for addressing the city’s ongoing challenges.
Bass defended her record as mayor, pointing to efforts to reduce encampments and expand housing, while arguing that continuity in leadership is needed to sustain progress.
Pratt, a political newcomer, criticized city leadership and positioned himself as an outsider candidate, focusing on public frustration with crime and quality-of-life issues.
Raman emphasized tenant protections and increased housing production, while presenting herself as an alternative to the current administration.