LA City Attorney race: Roy, McKinney take top spots while Feldstein Soto remains in third

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Deputy Attorney General Marissa Roy led the race for Los Angeles city attorney Thursday and appeared likely to advance to a November runoff, while police union-backed candidate John McKinney held second place and incumbent Hydee Feldstein Soto remained in third.

With votes still being counted, Roy received 133,061 votes, or 37.79%, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

McKinney had 113,032 votes, or 32.10%, followed by Feldstein Soto with 72,337 votes, or 20.54%. Candidate Aida Ashouri was fourth with 33,715 votes, or 9.57%.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election in November.

Feldstein Soto's bid for a second term was weighed down by controversy and a pair of well-funded challengers.

Los Angeles voters elected Feldstein Soto in 2022, and she became the city's first female city attorney when she took office in 2023.

Her first term has come under scrutiny, with critics alleging that Feldstein Soto attempted to block a contract for the Stay Housed LA program, hired costly outside law firms to defend the city in lawsuits amid budget concerns, and directed attorneys to take more civil cases to trial, resulting in large liability payouts.

She also faces a lawsuit from a former employee who has alleged misconduct and mistreatment of employees. Feldstein Soto has denied wrongdoing.

Feldstein Soto has defended her record, pointing to her administration's efforts to crack down on crime in the Figueroa corridor, addressing homeless and housing by working with the City Council and mayor on the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, and upholding the city's anti-camping law, which prohibits residents from sleeping or camping around sensitive locations such as schools, daycares, parks, and other designated areas.

The incumbent also said she has enforced the city's competitive bidding process, and filed lawsuits against companies and individuals that allegedly rent-gouged tenants after the January 2025 wildfires.

Feldstein Soto had received endorsements from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass,

City Council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Bob Blumenfield, Heather Hutt, Traci Park, Curren Price, John Lee and Tim McOsker, as well as Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing Los Angeles Police Department officers ranked lieutenant and below, rescinded its endorsement after a data breach of the city attorney's office led to thousands of LAPD records being leaked on the internet.

LAPPL's members later announced an endorsement for McKinney, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney. He has also received endorsements from L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, the Latino Business Association and the Central City Association.

McKinney told the Los Angeles Times he wants more prosecutions for misdemeanor gun crimes, and that he believes the city attorney's office can use its power to place homeless people into mental health or addiction treatment after they've been arrested.

He campaigned on bolstering public safety and protecting L.A. neighborhoods. McKinney said he is focused on cracking down on repeat offenders, addressing retail theft and organized shoplifting, and working with law enforcement to take on illegal street racing and the sale of narcotics.

Roy raised significant support for her election bid. She has received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia.

Roy said her priorities are being on the front lines of the legal fight against the federal government's crackdown on immigration, and protecting workers' rights and renters.

Ashouri is a former staff attorney at Public Counsel and Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and previously worked for the LA City Attorney and the San Diego City Attorney.

On the campaign trail, McKinney, Roy and Ashouri criticized Feldstein Soto for being unable to control liability costs that skyrocketed during her first term. Last fiscal year, the city's liability payouts were $294 million.

The challengers have outlined plans to reduce liability costs.

Feldstein Soto has explained the increase in payouts is due to a rise in the outcome of verdicts in civil courts, which is a nationwide trend.

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