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Marissa Roy wins Los Angeles city attorney race

Marissa Roy wins Los Angeles city attorney race

Rule Changes Los Angeles, CA local

The deputy attorney general backed by the Democratic Socialists of America defeats prosecutor John McKinney in the runoff to lead the city's legal office.

Yesterday: Roy wins LA city attorney race

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

Marissa Roy, a deputy California attorney general backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, won the race for Los Angeles city attorney, according to LAist. She defeated John McKinney, a longtime county prosecutor, in the runoff to succeed Hydee Feldstein Soto.

The office represents Los Angeles in lawsuits, writes city laws, and prosecutes misdemeanors. Roy campaigned to use it as a 'public interest law firm' focused on renters, workers, and challenges to Trump administration policies.

Why it matters

Los Angeles’ next city attorney will decide which lawsuits the city files and how aggressively it defends renters and challenges federal immigration enforcement.

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Key Indicators

66.5%
Roy's share in semiofficial returns
As of the Nov. 4 count, with more ballots still to be tallied.
33.5%
McKinney's share in semiofficial returns
The updated returns showed McKinney trailing by more than 30 points.
550+
Lawyers in the city attorney's office
The office represents Los Angeles in civil litigation and prosecutes misdemeanors.
$203M
Liability claim payouts in fiscal year 2025-26
City Controller data cited by the Daily News showed more than $1.2 billion in payouts over seven fiscal years.

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People Involved

Marissa Roy
Marissa Roy
Los Angeles city attorney-elect; deputy California attorney general
Won runoff; awaiting certification
 John McKinney
John McKinney
Los Angeles County deputy district attorney; city attorney candidate
Lost runoff
 Hydee Feldstein Soto
Hydee Feldstein Soto
Incumbent Los Angeles city attorney
Lost reelection bid in June primary

Organizations Involved

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office
Los Angeles City Attorney's Office
City legal department
Office Roy will lead after certification

The office represents Los Angeles in all legal matters, advises city officials, writes proposed laws, and prosecutes misdemeanors.
DS
Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles chapter
Political organization
Endorsed Roy

The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America backed Roy and other progressive candidates in the 2026 city elections.

Timeline

June 2026 November 2026

3 events Latest: Yesterday

  1. Roy wins LA city attorney race

    Latest Election

    LAist reported Roy defeated McKinney; results still needed county and state certification.

  2. Roy leads in early returns

    Election

    Semiofficial returns showed Roy with 66.53% to McKinney's 33.47%.

  3. Primary leaves incumbent out

    Election

    Roy finished first with about 43%, McKinney second with nearly 29%, and incumbent Hydee Feldstein Soto third with about 18%, forcing a runoff.

Scenarios

1

Certification confirms Roy as city attorney

Likely Resolves by Dec 11, 2026

Discussed by: LAist election guide and Los Angeles County election schedules

Los Angeles County is scheduled to certify results by Nov. 27, and the California Secretary of State by Dec. 11. If the remaining ballots do not erase Roy's lead, she takes office as the city's second woman to hold the post.

2

McKinney or outside group challenges the result

Unlikely Resolves by Dec 11, 2026

Discussed by: No public official or publication has predicted a challenge; this is a contingency.

A recount request or court challenge could delay certification. Roy's margin in semiofficial returns was more than 30 points, making a reversal unlikely unless a challenge identifies a significant counting error.

3

Roy opens office with civil enforcement push

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Roy campaign platform

Roy campaigned on using the office's civil enforcement powers against landlords, employers accused of wage theft, and corporations responsible for pollution. A first major lawsuit would signal how she translates that platform into practice.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

November 2022

Hydee Feldstein Soto elected Los Angeles city attorney (2022)

Feldstein Soto became the first woman and first Latina elected as Los Angeles city attorney, according to The Eastsider. She took office after the 2022 city elections.

Then

She served one term as the city's top lawyer.

Now

Her 2026 primary defeat marked the first time in nearly a century that a sitting Los Angeles elected official failed to advance from a primary.

Why this matters now

Her unusual vulnerability created the open race that Roy won.

June 2026

June 2026 primary ousts incumbent (2026)

Roy finished first with about 43%, McKinney second with nearly 29%, and Feldstein Soto third with about 18%. No candidate won a majority, sending Roy and McKinney to a November runoff.

Then

Feldstein Soto became the first sitting Los Angeles elected official in nearly a century to fail to advance from a primary.

Now

The runoff set up a contrast between Roy's civil-enforcement platform and McKinney's prosecutor-focused approach.

Why this matters now

Explains why the November race was between Roy and McKinney, not the incumbent.

Sources

(5)
+1
LAist Los Angeles Times Daily News The Eastsider LAist