Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Advances to Runoff Against City Council Member

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will face a city council member in a November runoff after neither candidate reached the 50 percent threshold required to win outright in Sunday's primary. The council member overtook a Republican candidate and former reality television star to finish second once additional ballots were counted.

Bass's campaign issued a statement hours after the results, criticizing the council member's record on encampments near schools and hiring additional police officers. "We look forward to winning a contest against an opponent who allows encampments near schools and fights against hiring more cops, yet is MIA on saving Hollywood jobs and fighting back when ICE invades LA," a Bass campaign spokesperson said in the Sunday statement.

The council member's campaign responded by highlighting its advancement and thanking supporters. "We are encouraged by the latest vote count and remain grateful to the thousands of Angelenos who have powered this campaign," the council member's campaign said.

Bass has drawn criticism during her first term for the pace of efforts to clear homeless encampments. The city also managed protests over federal immigration enforcement and recovery from wildfires that struck neighborhoods last year. The runoff will test whether voters prioritize the mayor's record or the council member's platform on housing and policing.