Dustin Lance Black Backs Karen Bass After Raman Event No-Show

Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “Milk,” has switched his support from Nithya Raman to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Black said Raman did not attend a campaign reception on October 16 that she had asked him and his husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley, to host. The event flyer described it as a reception with Raman.

In a video posted on November 1, Black said Bass’s attendance at an event helped persuade him to back her. He argued that experience and the ability to build relationships would matter as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics. Black also said Raman’s staff had given an inaccurate explanation for her absence. He wrote that conversations with other former Raman supporters suggested to him that it was not an isolated incident.

Black said he had previously supported Raman but no longer considered her dependable. His endorsement comes as the mayoral race has tightened: a recent poll conducted jointly by Berkeley researchers and the Los Angeles Times put both candidates at 40 percent, while a September poll by the newspaper showed Raman ahead by 11 points.

Bass has separately warned that Raman’s plans would bring disruption to city policing. Bass cited Raman’s promise to fire Police Chief Jim McDonnell and said officers could leave the department in response. Raman’s campaign was contacted for comment. Voters are due to choose between the candidates on November 3.

Bass’s Fear-Based Warning Follows a Setback in the Mayoral Race

Karen Bass is leaning on warnings of chaos and police departures as she faces a close re-election contest with Nithya Raman. But a prominent supporter’s endorsement of Bass after a missed campaign event is not evidence that Raman’s policing plans would cause the disorder Bass predicts.

Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning “Milk” screenwriter, said Raman failed to attend an October 16 reception she had asked him and his husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley, to host. In a video posted November 1, he endorsed Bass, emphasizing experience and the importance of building relationships ahead of the 2028 Olympics. Black said Raman’s staff gave an inaccurate account of her absence, and that conversations with other former supporters led him to see it as part of a pattern.

Bass, meanwhile, has argued Raman’s promise to fire Police Chief Jim McDonnell could prompt officers to leave the department. She has described a Raman administration as chaotic, but those are Bass’s warnings, not outcomes established by the endorsement dispute. A recent poll conducted by Berkeley researchers with the Los Angeles Times put the candidates at 40 percent each; a September poll by the newspaper had Raman ahead by 11 points. The election is November 3.

Raman’s Missed Fundraiser Raises Questions About Her Readiness

Los Angeles voters face a consequential choice, and a campaign’s basic test of reliability is whether its candidate shows up. Dustin Lance Black says Nithya Raman did not attend an October 16 fundraiser she had personally asked him and his husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley, to host. He has now withdrawn his support and endorsed incumbent Karen Bass.

Black said in a November 1 video that the next four years, including preparations for the 2028 Olympics, call for experience and strong relationships. He also said Raman’s staff gave a false explanation for her absence and that conversations with former supporters convinced him the incident was not unique. Black had once backed Raman, but now says he does not consider her dependable.

Bass has raised a separate concern about Raman’s pledge to remove Police Chief Jim McDonnell, warning that officers could leave the department and create confusion. That dispute puts leadership and public safety at the center of an already tight contest. A recent poll conducted by Berkeley researchers and the Los Angeles Times found the candidates tied at 40 percent, after a September poll by the newspaper showed Raman with an 11-point lead. Voters decide on November 3.