Commentary: Raman's victory was a resounding rebuke to L.A.'s Latino political establishment
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Set us as preferred When Angelenos chose Nithya Raman as their next mayor, Karen Bass wasn’t the only establishment pillar that was resoundingly rebuked.Here in the country’s Latino capital, the metropolis that delivered California its first Latino U.S.senator and pioneered the type of winning political machine that Latinos across the country replicated for decades, almost all the city’s Latino power brokers — politicians, nonprofit leaders, union activists, celebrities — bet big on longtime ally Bass, only to now find themselves on the outside looking in.All that might and hype delivered worse than nada for Bass, who finished first in the June primary thanks in part to Latino support, winning 35 Latino-majority neighborhoods compared with just seven for Raman.
The reverse happened in last week’s general election, with Raman winning many of the city’s key Latino neighborhoods — South L.A.to the Eastside, Pico-Union to Wilmington — according to a Times analysis of precinct data.
It was a fitting dénouement to Mayor Bass’ one term in office, and the capstone of a terrible four-year run for L.A.’s Latino political establishment, beginning with the leak of a profane, racist conversation that disgraced four top politicos.Bass should have run as far away as possible from our caudillos y caudillas.
But she just couldn’t quit them.Take an Oct.
24 lunchtime rally at Plaza Del Valle in Panorama City, the nexus for the fabled San Fernando Valley Latino political machine.Volunteers handed out “Latinos Con Bass” signs to customers and store owners.An all-star roster of elected officials — City Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla, Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (no relation to Monica) and Rep.
Luz Rivas — gathered in a community room to make the case that Bass was the best choice.Inside...