In its initial phases, the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral contest was as low key (bordering on boring) as the parallel California gubernatorial race. Mayor Karen Bass has had persistently low job approval numbers, dating back to her shaky handling of the Palisades fire early last year. But several potential big-dog rivals (including her wealthy 2022 opponent, mall developer Rick Caruso) gave the race a pass. So it seemed, L.A. would give the incumbent a second term, as it’s done many time in the past.