Kamlager, Perry compete to succeed Karen Bass in Congress

State Sen. Sydney Kamlager and former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry will face off Tuesday in a bid to replace Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass representing the 37th Congressional District.

Kamlager topped a field of seven candidates in the June primary to punch her ticket to Tuesday’s general election, with Perry narrowly besting Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee to claim the second spot.

Bass has endorsed Kamlager to represent the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City.

Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”

Kamlager, D-Baldwin Hills, was elected to the state Senate in a 2021 special election to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, after serving in the Assembly since 2018. Kamlager was a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees from 2015-18.

Kamlager has also been endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, Mitchell and fellow Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank.

Perry, also a Democrat, pledged that, if elected, her top priorities as a congresswoman would be “preserving the environment, improving education, stopping an alarming increase in violent crime, expanding access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring that America pursues a foreign policy that is sane, just, and maintains our strong support for our allies.”

Perry served on the Los Angeles City Council from 2001-13. She unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2013 after being prohibited from running for reelection and the Second District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2020.

Perry was general manager of the Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department from 2013-2018.

Perry’s endorsements include Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and former Rep. Diane Watson, D-Los Angeles, who represented the district from 2001-11.