Political newcomer Ysabel Jurado ousts L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León

After weathering calls for his resignation over the leaked recording of a racist conversation, L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León has lost his bid for reelection.

Taking his seat in Council District 14? Political newcomer Ysabel Jurado, who caught heat for her own secret recording incident in recent weeks (more on that later).

Two years into de León's tenure on the council in L.A., he was caught up in a major scandal as one of three members heard on an audiotape containing racist remarks that leaked on Reddit in October 2022.

On the tape, then-City Council President Nury Martinez made racially charged comments about councilmember Mike Bonin's son; de León compared the child to a Louis Vuitton handbag.

While he did apologize for his remarks, De León said in an interview with Noticiero Univision, "No, I will not resign because there is a lot of work ahead."

The longtime Democrat was elected to the city council in 2020 after losing a bid for Dianne Feinstein's U.S. Senate seat in 2018.

Who is Ysabel Jurado

Incoming Council District 14 representative Ysabel Jurado leaned into her track record as an attorney and tenant advocate to overtake de León in the final count.

Jurado has vowed to tackle the homelessness crisis in her district, calling for increased tenant safeguards and expanding affordable housing.

She has proposed a rent control policy tied to wages, developing a housing bank offering low-interest loans, and imposing a vacancy tax that would compel property owners to either rent or sell. Jurado also suggested buying back real estate in lower-income communities where housing costs are displacing residents, emphasizing concern for gentrification driving longtime locals out of the district.

Jurado recently had her own recording scandal during a meet-the-candidate forum with young voters at Cal State Los Angeles .

When asked her opinion about her opponent's use of discretionary money to help pay for more cops in the district, Jurado loosely quoted lyrics from a song, saying, "...F**k the police, that's how I see 'em..."

While it clearly did not dissuade voters, many public officials opposed her statement.

Jamie McBride, representative of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), told KNX News, "The voters of Los Angeles finally get to see her true colors. She's anti-police...the immaturity and unprofessionalism that she displays? I think that's dangerous."

The LAPPL, the union representing 9,900 sworn officers, endorsed Kevin de León shortly after the incident.

Jurado defended her comment, saying it was part of a conversation about police accountability and that she still supports public safety.

She said claims that she is in favor of defunding the police are inaccurate but does believe the LAPD is responsible for "too many duties that are not within the purview of what they're assigned to do."

Jurado's other police-related views include a belief that money to settle misconduct lawsuits should come from the LAPD pension fund and that police spending, in general, should go toward housing, education, and mental health resources and away from military-grade weapons.

In a pre-victory interview with KNX News, Jurado said that despite others' concerns about her lack of political experience, she is as ready as she will ever be. She reminded listeners that everyone starts with no experience.