Bass ran on her strong relationship skills. So why did pivotal allies turn on her?

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Set us as preferred It wasn’t that long ago that campaign strategist Estevan Montemayor was an enthusiastic booster for Karen Bass.During her first run for mayor in 2022, Montemayor was working with Communities United for Bass, a campaign committee that spent $6 million on television ads, text messages and other voter outreach efforts.The 35-year-old political consultant took on another expensive outside campaign this year — this one to support Councilmember Nithya Raman and oppose Bass.Asked about the change in allegiances, he said he became disenchanted with the mayor over her handling of homelessness, the city budget and finally, the Palisades fire.“That’s when I came to realize on a personal level that she was not capable of serving in an executive role,” Montemayor said.Bass, a 22-year political veteran, spent much of her failed reelection campaign touting her ability to work with others.

She locked down support from labor unions, business groups and immigration advocates.She frequently pointed out 14 members of the City Council lined up behind her and not for Raman, who won Tuesday’s election and will be sworn in next month.

Yet some of Bass’ political relationships disintegrated during her four-year term, at times in dramatic ways.Those key colleagues and supporters turned against her, then went on to help orchestrate her political demise.Early on in Bass’ term, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath supported the mayor’s work on homelessness and even introduced her at her State of the City address.

But she eventually became one of Bass’ fiercest critics and, behind the scenes, encouraged Raman to run.Horvath publicly endorsed Raman two weeks before the election.The Western States Regional Council of Carpenters put nearly $2.3 million into efforts to elect Bass four years ago, producing TV ads and campaign signs promoting her.

This time around, the group sponsored a committee...