The June 7 primary in Los Angeles is going to be interesting.

You've got billionaire developer Rick Caruso facing off against congressional representative

Karen Bass for mayor with other candidates far, far behind.

Crime and homelessness has voters considering a recall of the progressive district attorney.

Meanwhile, the sheriff of L.A. County, Alex Vianueva, he's expected to easily win his

election. So he's spending his free time accusing L.A. Times reporters of criminal actions

for reporting on his controversial department.

Uh, okay.

I'm Gustav Ariano.

You're listening to The Times, Daily News from the LA Times.

It's Wednesday, May 4th, 2022.

Today, we've got a live panel that I moderated at the LA Times Festival books a couple of weeks ago.

That's as relevant as ever.

My colleagues, Aline Check Median,

Julia Wick, and Erica D. Smith joined me to talk about especially consequential races that are getting national attention that are happening here in Los Angeles.

The mayor's race, which there's going to be a primary in June, the sheriff's race, L.A. County Sheriff's race, which is going to happen also primary in June. And then something, it's not an official race, but it's definitely involving politics, but a second recall effort against L.A. District Attorney George Gascon. So the question I'll ask for all of you to start, why are all these races getting national attention?

What are the national implications

that people are so interested in?

So starting with Julia with the mayor's race.

Yeah, that's a great question.

This is the first open mayoral primary

in Los Angeles in nearly a decade.

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