Bass Begins Reelection Bid as LA Readies for World Cup, Olympics

Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, during the Bloomberg Screentime event in Los Angeles in October 2025.Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass used her State of the City address to effectively kick off her reelection campaign, highlighting the city’s recovery from last year’s deadly wildfires and casting LA as ready to host a run of global events.

The speech, delivered at Exposition Park, departed from the traditional policy-heavy address that typically signals the start of budget season. Performances from the marching bands of University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California gave the event a campaign-style feel.