Former Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner has withdrawn from the Los Angeles mayoral race, citing the need to focus on his family following the death of his 22-year-old daughter Emily last month.
In a statement released Thursday (February 5), Beutner explained his decision to suspend his campaign. “A successful campaign, and more importantly the job of Mayor, requires someone who is committed 24/7 to the job. Family has always come first for me. That is where I need to be at this time,” Beutner said in his announcement.
Emily Beutner, a student at Loyola Marymount University, died on January 6 in a Los Angeles hospital. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has listed her cause of death as “deferred” pending toxicology and additional laboratory results.
Beutner entered the mayoral race in October 2025 as a prominent challenger to incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. His campaign focused on addressing homelessness, safety, housing affordability, and job loss in Los Angeles. Despite having voted for Bass previously, Beutner had questioned her leadership following the Palisades Fire.
Mayor Bass expressed condolences following Emily’s death, stating, “There is no way to describe the depth of pain experienced by parents who have lost a child. My heart is broken for the Beutner family,” according to local reports.
Before his campaign, Beutner served as LAUSD superintendent from 2018 to 2021. His public service career also includes three years as deputy mayor during Antonio Villaraigosa’s second term and a stint as publisher of the Los Angeles Times from 2014 to 2015.
In his withdrawal statement, Beutner reflected on the city’s challenges: “Los Angeles is a special place, but every day it’s becoming less affordable, less safe and a more difficult place to live. To solve these problems, new ideas are needed along with leadership capable of implementing them.”
Despite stepping away from the race, Beutner indicated he hopes to eventually “continue my efforts to make sure Los Angeles’ best days are ahead of us.”
Candidates still considering whether to enter the mayoral race have until Saturday to file election paperwork.
Recent Comments