Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass currently leads in her reelection campaign, despite a high disapproval rating among the city’s voters, according to a recent UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. Bass holds 25 percent support from likely voters, followed by City Councilmember Nithya Raman at 17 percent and reality TV personality Spencer Pratt at 14 percent, with roughly a quarter of voters still undecided. The poll also found that 56 percent of respondents view Bass unfavorably, while only 31 percent have a favorable opinion.

Political analysts warn that the poll results are concerning for Bass. Dan Schnur, a politics professor at USC, UC Berkeley, and Pepperdine, described the numbers as “borderline catastrophic,” citing her struggles against lesser-known opponents and noting that the absence of stronger challengers may be the only factor preserving her lead.

The polling comes amid controversy surrounding Bass’s handling of the 2025 Palisades Fire. Sources confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Bass directed edits to the city’s after-action report, softening or removing findings related to failures in staffing and pre-deployment of fire engines ahead of high winds. Multiple drafts were created, with changes allegedly ordered to present a more favorable account of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s response.

While Bass has denied requesting edits, sources with knowledge of internal discussions claimed she instructed then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva to modify the report to reduce potential legal liability. One source stated, “All the changes reported were the ones Karen wanted,” and added that two confidants would testify under oath if the matter were litigated.

Bass’s office issued a statement rejecting the allegations, emphasizing that the mayor has been transparent about her concerns with the LAFD’s response and that no changes were intended to obscure facts. The statement called the reporting “muckraking journalism” and “dangerous and irresponsible,” asserting that the mayor has consistently demanded accountability and independent review of the city’s fire response.

The mayor’s reelection campaign now faces a dual challenge: navigating voter disapproval while addressing scrutiny over her office’s management of fire response reports, all as the city heads into a competitive primary season.