Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced mayoral candidate Nithya Raman to L.A. power players ahead of the November 3 runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
According to TMZ, the gathering brought Raman together with L.A. power players.
Schwarzenegger Brings Raman to L.A. Power Players
The meeting comes as polls have shown Raman as the favorite to become Los Angeles's next mayor.
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/Los Angeles Times poll released Wednesday showed Raman leading Bass 39% to 28% among likely voters, with a third of the electorate still undecided, according to the Los Angeles Times. That marks a striking reversal from the June 2 primary, when Bass finished first with 34% of the vote to Raman's 29%, per Ballotpedia. During a multi-day count of late-arriving mail-in ballots, Raman moved into second place for now, overtaking reality TV figure Spencer Pratt by more than 3,000 votes while votes were still being counted, as reported by KQED.
Labor Unions Back Raman
Raman has received endorsements from UNITE HERE Local 11 and the Carpenters Union.
Homelessness and Public Safety Loom Over the Race
Raman is also facing organized opposition. The Los Angeles Police Protective League launched a targeted attack ad campaign this month criticizing her past City Council votes on homeless encampment enforcement, a pushback Hoodline detailed in its report on the union's attack ad.
With roughly a third of voters still undecided, Schwarzenegger's introduction of Raman to L.A. power players comes as the runoff approaches.
