Socialist Challenger Emerges in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

The socialist wave that’s overtaken parts of New York, Seattle, and Chicago is now crashing into Los Angeles, as Democratic Socialist Rae Huang officially launched her campaign against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Backed by the far-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Huang’s entry into the race signals a growing radical push to seize control of major West Coast cities already buckling under the weight of progressive policy failures.

Huang, a 43-year-old community organizer, announced her run on Instagram, claiming she is "called by God" to run for mayor and finally implement the social justice agenda that she says has been “years in the making.”

“I will be running against establishment and the billionaire class and will not be accepting any money from corporations,” Huang said.

That’s right the latest DSA candidate is now trying to unseat Karen Bass, a Democrat herself, but apparently not radical enough for the new socialist base taking over America’s bluest cities. Huang's platform? The same failed policies that have devastated places like San Francisco and Portland:

• Universal housing paid for by taxpayers

• Free public transportation regardless of cost or sustainability

• “Climate resiliency” spending on pet projects and green mandates

• Zero cooperation with ICE or federal immigration enforcement

Sound familiar? It's nearly identical to the socialist wishlists pushed by Zohran Mamdani in New York and Katie Wilson in Seattle, both backed by DSA chapters intent on upending traditional Democrats in favor of full-blown Marxist governance.

And despite her attempts to sound like a unifier, Huang made it clear she’s running to tear down the existing system.

“We are in a place in our country and in our political environment where folks feel stuck and afraid,” she said. “The things that are changing are making things even worse.”

Ironically, even Bass a longtime progressive and former Congresswoman — is now being painted as too moderate by her far-left challenger. Bass, for her part, is defending her record, citing:

• A decline in homelessness for two straight years

• Reduced crime rates in L.A. neighborhoods

• Fast-tracked wildfire recovery efforts, particularly in the Palisades

• Legal victories against ICE enforcement during the Trump administration

But none of that is enough for the DSA crowd. They want total political control and they’re willing to toss even fellow Democrats under the bus to get it.

This challenge comes just a week after another far-left activist, Katie Wilson, unseated Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proving this isn’t a fringe trend. It’s a coordinated campaign to push the Democratic Party even further left by replacing liberal incumbents with socialist ideologues.

The real question for Los Angeles is this: can a city already plagued by homelessness, skyrocketing rents, out-of-control crime, and collapsing infrastructure survive an even deeper plunge into radical leftism?

For working-class Angelenos already crushed under progressive governance, this election could be a breaking point.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the radical agendas creeping into your city.