Los Angeles City Attorney Race: Key Developments and Dynamics

The removal of an incumbent city attorney during primaries is a rare event in Los Angeles. The last occurrence was in 1933, with nearly 30% unemployment during the Great Depression. At that time, City Atty. Erwin P. Werner lost in the primary election. Hydee Feldstein Soto faced likely defeat on Tuesday in circumstances echoing that era’s political climate.

Marissa Roy, a deputy attorney general from California’s Department of Justice, led the race with ballots yet to be fully counted. Roy attracted voters by utilizing direct engagement and social media efficiency. Her promise to advocate for wage workers and tenants resonated, but it was the support from influential unions and the Democratic Socialist bloc that helped her rise in this contest. This alliance resembles California’s political shift to the left during the early 1930s.

County prosecutor John McKinney capitalized on voters’ concerns about homelessness, downtown disrepair, and mistrust in City Hall. He entered the race actively campaigning just five weeks ago but gained traction with a tough-on-crime stance. Despite some crime categories reaching historic lows, this approach helped him secure a spot in the runoff.

With significant backing from labor organizations, these dynamics bore similarities to historical coalitions that shaped California’s political landscape in the past. McKinney’s strategy allowed him to overcome Feldstein Soto’s support base, which had faced challenges during her term.

By Thursday, Roy held nearly twice the votes of Feldstein Soto, with McKinney leading Feldstein Soto by 13 percentage points for the second runoff position. Although the race’s conclusion was pending, Feldstein Soto acknowledged defeat in a statement referencing the voters’ decision and her successor’s forthcoming administration.

The potential defeat of Feldstein Soto stands out in Los Angeles’s electoral history, paralleled only by Werner’s 1933 loss. As noted by Mike Bonin, a former City Council member, such events are uncommon in the lifetimes of observers of city governance. McKinney’s sudden rise in May saw him overtook Feldstein Soto’s support from law enforcement with a significant $3 million in independent expenditures.

An unnamed official of a group supporting McKinney mentioned an internal poll revealing Feldstein Soto lagging nearly 10 points outside the runoff, a week before the election. With Roy having secured backing from the county’s Democratic Party and the engagement of left-leaning voters, Feldstein Soto found herself in a vulnerable position as many voters remained uninformed.

Roy adeptly targeted progressive voters through social media, presenting herself as “the people’s lawyer” in her consistent purple blazer. This approach created a significant contrast between her candidacy and Feldstein Soto’s struggles to articulate her achievements. Despite accomplishments such as limiting access to law enforcement databases, modernizing internal systems, and improving office ties with the LAPD, her low-key approach failed to gain public traction.

Controversies during Feldstein Soto’s term, including a surge in litigation costs and allegations of power abuse by her office, complicated her campaign. These issues led to the police union withdrawing its endorsement in favor of McKinney, which impacted her voter base.

Feldstein Soto’s campaign messaging lacked the clarity and excitement needed to appeal to voters, producing 80 email blasts and other communications. In contrast, Roy’s campaign sent out 180 messages focusing on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where her tactics appeared highly effective with voters. McKinney, despite having fewer communications, leveraged gritty AI-created visuals to bolster his campaign narrative.

Ultimately, in a race for an often misunderstood position, McKinney and Roy’s ability to present distinct personas may have played a crucial role. Analysts suggest that most voters approached the race without strong opinions, leaving ample room for effective campaigns to impact their decisions.