Abortion became an unlikely issue in the Los Angeles mayor's race this week after a draft Supreme Court opinion published Monday by Politico appeared to show that the nation's highest court is poised to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
In an overwhelmingly Democratic city where reproductive healthcare is readily available, leading mayoral candidates including Rep. Karen Bass, Council Member Kevin de León, activist Gina Viola, City Attorney Mike Feuer, Council Member Joe Buscaino and real estate developer Rick Caruso quickly issued statements affirming their support for abortion rights.
But the issue at hand isn't whether candidates say they support abortion rights now. It's whether Caruso — a former Republican who is now one of the front-runners in the race to replace Mayor Eric Garcetti — supported abortion rights in the past, what changed and how much L.A. voters will care amid a campaign season dominated by discussion of homelessness and public safety.
