As Los Angeles approaches another pivotal election season, the city’s political landscape is being shaped by a striking convergence of progressive activism, establishment power plays, and the enduring influence of organized labor. At the heart of this dynamic is Eunisses Hernandez, the youngest and only Latina member of the L.A. City Council, who has emerged as a leading figure in the city’s progressive movement and is now campaigning for reelection in the June 2, 2026, primary.
Hernandez, who has represented District 1 since December 2022, kicked off her reelection campaign with a fundraiser on July 26, 2025, at a Mount Washington home with sweeping views of the city. According to People’s World, the event was both a celebration of her first term’s accomplishments and a rallying cry to supporters, as she faces a crowded field of five challengers backed by big business interests and what she calls “corporate Democrats.” The stakes are high: if Hernandez secures more than 50% of the primary vote, she will clinch victory outright; otherwise, she’ll head to a runoff in November.
Hernandez’s campaign is rooted in what she dubs “Streetlight Socialism”—a platform focused on the basics that matter most to working Angelenos. She promises to be “the biggest barrier to luxury development and to prioritize affordable housing,” according to her remarks at the fundraiser. In a city where homelessness and housing costs are persistent crises, she’s made clear her opposition to the influence of developers at City Hall and her commitment to strengthening the Bureau of Street Lighting and fixing sidewalks within a week. “There’s more money for LAPD than Meals-On-Wheels or streetlights,” she told attendees, highlighting her ongoing concern about the city’s billion-dollar deficit and its spending priorities.
Her approach echoes the “sewer socialism” that once defined cities like Milwaukee—a focus on honest government and public works that directly benefit ordinary people. Hernandez draws inspiration from this tradition, as well as from modern figures like Bernie Sanders, who, as People’s World notes, served as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, before rising to national prominence. Notably, more than 25% of L.A.’s City Council members now belong to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a statistic that underscores the growing clout of the city’s left-wing bloc.
Hernandez’s campaign is not without formidable opposition. Her five challengers enjoy support from real estate moguls such as Rick Caruso, a developer and former mayoral contender, as well as from establishment-aligned Democrats. But Hernandez, who was endorsed by United Farm Workers cofounder Dolores Huerta, is undeterred. “Socialism is making sure there’s a society where the workers are at the table and decide what the menu is. We leave no one behind, no voices are unheard. Workers are leading, leaving no one behind,” she declared when asked what socialism means to her. Her campaign manager, Annie Freiermuth, encouraged supporters to host fundraisers, post lawn signs, and contribute in any way possible, emphasizing the campaign’s grassroots ethos and its refusal to accept donations from corporate, real-estate, fossil fuel, or police union interests.
Hernandez’s advocacy extends beyond housing and infrastructure. In the wake of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, she has conducted drive-alongs with the fire department and is pushing for the creation of neighborhood “Fire Councils” to improve brushfire clearance and prevention. She’s also taken a stand against the city’s plans to purchase two additional helicopters for the LAPD, each costing $9 million. “Based on a report, for 40 hours in the air, one arrest” results, she said, arguing that these resources could be better spent elsewhere. Instead, she proposes innovative revenue streams, such as taxing autonomous vehicles and robots that use city infrastructure.
Hernandez’s stance on public safety is equally uncompromising. She has condemned what she sees as the militarization of urban America, criticizing the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in the city following recent unrest. “For the first couple weeks we were teetering on martial law… We are the canary in the coalmine, the experiment. We don’t want to set precedents that spread to other cities,” she warned. She’s also accused the LAPD of enabling unconstitutional actions, including alleged collaboration with ICE in violation of L.A.’s sanctuary city laws. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a lifelong resident of District 1, Hernandez’s positions on immigration and policing are deeply personal. She’s a vocal proponent of unarmed crisis response teams, arguing that “LAPD gets too much money” and that resources should be directed toward nonviolent interventions, especially in mental health situations.
Hernandez’s campaign is emblematic of a broader shift in Los Angeles politics, where progressive voices are challenging the status quo and demanding a government that works for working people. The city’s political scene is further complicated by the involvement of national figures and organizations. For instance, Dolores Huerta, who endorsed Hernandez, is also lending her influence to efforts beyond L.A., including OpenAI’s recent push to restructure from a nonprofit to a public benefit corporation. According to Politico and the Daily Caller, OpenAI has assembled a team of Democratic operatives—including Huerta, former Clinton White House strategist Chris Lehane, and advisers linked to Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris—to lobby California officials as the company seeks approval for its new corporate structure.
This lobbying effort highlights the intricate ties between tech, politics, and labor in California. OpenAI’s commission, which includes Huerta and Newsom aide Daniel Zingale, is tasked with gathering input from health, education, and public service leaders, especially in California, to ensure the company’s restructuring aligns with broader community interests. The move has drawn criticism from some quarters, most notably from Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI but left the board over concerns that the company was prioritizing profits over its founding principles. “Any given AI company is doomed to become the opposite of its name. OpenAI is closed,” Musk quipped on social media, underscoring the tensions inherent in the intersection of technology and public good.
Back in Los Angeles, the rise of figures like Hernandez signals a potential realignment in municipal priorities. With more than a quarter of the City Council now identifying as DSA members, and a mayor, Karen Bass, with her own history of activism, the city is at a crossroads. Will voters double down on progressive leadership, or will establishment forces regain control? The answer will come, in part, on June 2, 2026, when Angelenos head to the polls.
As the city’s political battles intensify, one thing is clear: the future of Los Angeles will be shaped not just by high-profile races and big-money interests, but by the everyday struggles and aspirations of its residents—people like Eunisses Hernandez, who are determined to bring the light, quite literally, to the city’s streets.
