As California’s primary election looms, candidates are fervently traversing the state, seizing every opportunity to sway voters before they cast their ballots on Tuesday.
In the fiercely contested race for Los Angeles mayor, incumbent Karen Bass embarked on a whirlwind tour, starting her day at the well-loved Pann’s Restaurant, where she engaged with voters over breakfast. Her campaign trail then led her to a bustling cafe in San Pedro, as she continued to rally support.
Later that afternoon, Bass made a strategic stop at Harold & Belles in South Los Angeles. Here, she shared her vision for tackling pressing issues such as the city’s affordability crisis and the escalating homelessness problem, aiming to connect with the community on these critical concerns.
“Had a wonderful time at Harold & Belle’s, enjoying a meal and discussing our mission to create a safer and more affordable Los Angeles for everyone,” Bass shared on X, emphasizing her commitment to these pivotal challenges.
Meanwhile, Nithya Raman, who has shifted from ally to adversary, was equally active on the campaign front. She delivered a compelling message of transformation, while surprisingly acknowledging fellow candidate Spencer Pratt for resonating with the widespread discontent among Los Angeles residents.
“Spencer Pratt has indeed struck a chord with the very real frustrations that motivated my candidacy,” Raman remarked to reporters outside El Mercadito in East Los Angeles. “Angelenos are grappling with significant challenges and are increasingly concerned about the city’s trajectory.”
The city councilmember said Bass has represented change in LA’s trajectory, but “we can do more.”
“I want people to feel a palpable change, and to trust that every dollar is being spent with accountability,” Raman said.
Meanwhile, Spencer Pratt remained largely out of the spotlight the day before the election.
His campaign team told The Post that the reality TV star spent the day meeting privately with voters to discuss their concerns in a more intimate setting, while spreading his message.
The crux of Pratt’s campaign has centered around the Palisades Fire — promising to expedite the building process, while also vowing to crack down on crime and homelessness.
In the governor’s race, former Biden administration official Xavier Becerra held a campaign event at Planned Parenthood in Sacramento.
The Democratic candidate told MediasTouch he’s “feeling pretty good” about the current state of the race, and seemingly called out challenge Tom Steyer for trying to buy the election.
“When you’ve got millions of dollars as a billionaire, you can put up pretty much any commercial you want,” Becerra told the outlet. “We’re going to rely on our momentum, we’ve got the momentum — someone’s got to snatch it from us, and we’re going to cross the finish line.”
Steyer spent the final day before the primary holding a get the youth vote event at UCLA.
The billionaire said it was a “fantastic” event, describing young people as “the beating heart of our democracy.”
“Young people know that their future is at stake, and they know we need a true fighter in the governor’s office to make that change happen,” Steyer said on X.
Republican candidate Steve Hilton spent Thursday night campaigning in Fresno, before making the trek down to Los Angeles.
He joined Newsmax Friday to offer a final pitch to voters — saying he is the candidate of “change.”
“I’m the only change candidate who’s got a shot at getting in the top two in tomorrow’s primary election,” Hilton told the outlet.
In his final message to voters, the former Fox News host encouraged Californians not to cast a ballot for his Republican counterpart, for Sheriff Chad Bianco, as it will only help Democrats.
“Don’t waste your vote on chad Bianco or any other candidate who doesn’t have a shot at being in the top two, it just helps the Democrats,” Hilton told the network.
California has a jungle primary system, meaning all candidates, regardless of political part appear on the same primary ballot with the top two voter-getters advancing to the general election.
Polls open at 7am on Tuesday and close at 8pm.
