Los Angeles City Attorney
The City Attorney is the city’s lawyer — they defend the city, prosecute misdemeanors, and help shape policy through legal action.
| HYDEE FELDSTEIN SOTO | MARISSA ROY | AIDA ASHOURI | JOHN MCKINNEY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick take | Incumbent focused on managing risk and defending the city | Challenger pushing for a more aggressive legal posture | Policy-focused candidate emphasizing targeted legal action | Career prosecutor focused on enforcement and public safety |
| Background | Current city attorney, first woman in the role | Deputy state attorney general (consumer protection) | Former deputy city attorney | Deputy district attorney |
| Approach to the role | Defend the city and manage legal exposure | Use the office more proactively to push policy and lawsuits | Target specific gaps where the city can take legal action | Focus on enforcement and prosecution through the office |
| Key focus | Reducing liability, public safety, city services | Accountability (especially LAPD) + legal challenges | Environmental enforcement + limiting surveillance tools | Public safety and criminal enforcement |
| How aggressive | Moderate | High | Moderate | High |
| Vibe | Institutional, steady, risk-aware | Activist-leaning, confrontational | Policy-oriented, measured | Prosecutorial, enforcement-first |
| What The LA Voter Guide thinks | Big time NIMBY/Conservative bs coming out of her tenure there. | Anytime Kenneth Mejia endorses someone, the LA Voter Guide agrees. Big-time critic of the Trump admin, anti-ICE, bright and genuine. She has similar values to Ashouri with a bit less experience but has somehow gained more traction. | We wouldn't be mad with Ashouri, who has vowed to enforce Measure HLA, which requires the city to make bike line and/or pedestrian improvements when street resurfacing is carried out. Ashouri also genuinely cares about the people of LA that need the attention the most. | No civil law experience. But also just isn't doing it for us over here. |
Hydee Feldstein Soto
What The LA Voter Guide thinksBig time NIMBY/Conservative bs coming out of her tenure there.
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Quick takeIncumbent focused on managing risk and defending the city
BackgroundCurrent city attorney, first woman in the role
Approach to the roleDefend the city and manage legal exposure
Key focusReducing liability, public safety, city services
How aggressiveModerate
VibeInstitutional, steady, risk-aware
Marissa Roy
What The LA Voter Guide thinksAnytime Kenneth Mejia endorses someone, the LA Voter Guide agrees. Big-time critic of the Trump admin, anti-ICE, bright and genuine. She has similar values to Ashouri with a bit less experience but has somehow gained more traction.
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Quick takeChallenger pushing for a more aggressive legal posture
BackgroundDeputy state attorney general (consumer protection)
Approach to the roleUse the office more proactively
Key focusAccountability (especially LAPD) + legal challenges
How aggressiveHigh
VibeActivist-leaning, confrontational
Aida Ashouri
What The LA Voter Guide thinksWe wouldn't be mad with Ashouri, who has vowed to enforce Measure HLA, which requires the city to make bike line and/or pedestrian improvements when street resurfacing is carried out. Ashouri also genuinely cares about the people of LA that need the attention the most.
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Quick takePolicy-focused candidate emphasizing targeted legal action
BackgroundFormer deputy city attorney
Approach to the roleTarget specific gaps where the city can take legal action
Key focusEnvironmental enforcement + limiting surveillance tools
How aggressiveModerate
VibePolicy-oriented, measured
John McKinney
What The LA Voter Guide thinksNo civil law experience. But also just isn't doing it for us over here.
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Quick takeCareer prosecutor focused on enforcement and public safety
BackgroundDeputy district attorney
Approach to the roleFocus on enforcement and prosecution through the office
Key focusPublic safety and criminal enforcement
How aggressiveHigh
VibeProsecutorial, enforcement-first