A Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate has opened a substantial lead in the contest to oversee Los Angeles’ nearly $200 million legal office, according to a new poll.
Marissa Roy, a deputy state attorney general endorsed by the DSA, holds 20% support in the race for city attorney, compared with 10% for veteran prosecutor John McKinney, according to a survey by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.
Still, the contest remains wide open: 70% of voters said they were undecided, the study reported by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday found.
McKinney told The California Post, “Momentum is clearly on our side. With 70% of voters still undecided, as they continue learning more about my story and my positions on key issues like homelessness and public safety, we feel confident we will win in November.
“As Angelenos learn about Marissa’s unwillingness to enforce the homeless encampment ban and her George Gascón-like policies on crime, they will realize she is too extreme and out of touch to be city attorney.”
The survey included 2,150 likely voters questioned from Sept. 15 through Sept. 20. Roy and McKinney are competing to replace City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, who was eliminated in the June primary.
Los Angeles’ city attorney prosecutes misdemeanors. Roughly 120,000 potential violations come before the office each year, and its lawyers determine which cases should be charged.
The office also represents City Hall when the city faces lawsuits and helps draft the laws governing Angelenos.
Roy, 34, works in the California Department of Justice’s consumer protection division. She is also a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the DSA, which endorsed her campaign.
DSA-LA supports reducing the role of armed police in the city. Its platform calls for fewer sworn officers and proposes using unarmed personnel for traffic enforcement and mental health responses.
Roy’s most contentious connection to the city attorney’s authority dates to the 2022 election, when she participated in discussions over a proposed 100-day halt to filing new misdemeanor charges.
Correspondence obtained exclusively by The California Post indicated that the proposal would have applied to offenses such as trespassing, loitering, public intoxication and possession of small amounts of drugs.
Roy told The Post that she never personally supported a blanket moratorium. Her campaign website says most misdemeanors are rooted in poverty, mental illness or addiction.
She favors directing more people accused of low-level offenses toward treatment, housing and diversion programs rather than sending them to court.
McKinney has taken a markedly different approach.
McKinney, 58, has spent more than 27 years prosecuting cases for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, including the murder of rapper Nipsey Hussle.
His campaign promises to use the city attorney’s prosecutorial authority to address street disorder and remove homeless people from sidewalks.
His endorsements include Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing LAPD officers.
Roy’s lead comes as another DSA-endorsed candidate gains ground in the mayoral race at the top of the ticket.
Earlier this week, the same Berkeley poll showed City Councilwoman Nithya Raman leading Mayor Karen Bass, 39% to 28%, while 33% of voters remained undecided.
Bass campaign spokesperson Alex Stack dismissed that result as an “outlier poll” and predicted a close race.
Voters decide Nov. 3.
