LA Politician Begs Republicans to ‘Send Help’

A viral campaign video from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has stunned critics across the country — and now a top California Republican is issuing a blunt warning about what she says is happening behind the state’s deep-blue political curtain.

Los Angeles County GOP Chair Roxanne Hoge urged Republicans nationwide to “send help” to California after Bass promoted a controversial program that can turn a small campaign donation into a much larger contribution using public funds.

“The rest of the country doesn’t understand what we’re living under here,” Hoge told Fox News Digital.

The uproar began after Bass, who is running for re-election, posted a video explaining Los Angeles’ so-called “super match” campaign-financing program.

Under the system, qualifying donations from Los Angeles residents can receive a six-to-one match from the city.

“If you donate $5, the city turns it into $35,” Bass said in the campaign video.

She urged supporters to contribute after the June mayoral primary, saying her campaign had been forced to “start over from scratch” ahead of the November runoff.

The video quickly exploded online as viewers questioned why taxpayer money could be used to help finance a sitting mayor’s re-election campaign.

Conservative activist Billboard Chris asked how it could be legal to use money from Los Angeles taxpayers to fund an incumbent mayor’s campaign.

Commentator Matt Van Swol expressed similar disbelief, while author Michael Shellenberger called the system “grotesque.”

Los Angeles physician and political commentator Houman David Hemmati also blasted the arrangement, questioning why city taxpayers should be financing campaigns while Los Angeles continues struggling with problems involving homelessness, public safety and city services.

Despite the outrage, the program is legal.

Los Angeles voters approved public financing for city campaigns in 1990. The system was later expanded, with the current six-to-one matching ratio taking effect in 2019. Candidates must meet fundraising, donor and other eligibility requirements before receiving matching funds.

Hoge argued that the controversy highlights something outsiders often fail to understand about California politics.

“What normal people consider cheating or weirdness in the electoral process? It’s all in the rules,” she said.

Hoge said the original public-financing proposal may have sounded reasonable when voters first approved it, but she argued it eventually grew into something far more extreme.

She described the current system as a “many-headed hydra of insanity” that leaves taxpayers contributing $6 for every qualifying dollar raised by participating Los Angeles candidates.

The matching program is not limited to the mayor’s race. Qualifying City Council candidates can also participate.

For mayoral candidates, qualifying contributions must come from Los Angeles residents, and the maximum matchable contribution is $257. With the six-to-one city match, that contribution can ultimately be worth $1,799 to a campaign. The general-election matching-funds ceiling is slightly above $1.5 million.

Hoge also pointed to Republican Spencer Pratt’s surprisingly strong showing during the mayoral primary as evidence that frustration with Los Angeles politics may be growing.

Pratt campaigned heavily on issues involving government competence and quality of life before City Councilmember Nithya Raman ultimately advanced past him to face Bass in the November runoff.

“We saw Spencer Pratt mount a very strong argument for sanity and good governance,” Hoge said. “It wasn’t partisan, what he was saying. It was pure common sense.”

Hoge argued that California conservatives should not give up despite Democrats’ overwhelming political dominance in the state.

“California is totally worth fighting for because it is an absolute gem,” she said.

She described Republicans as the “leave me alone party” and argued that California’s Western identity should represent personal freedom rather than increasingly intrusive government.

“California, being in the West, is the ultimate place where you should be free to write your own story,” Hoge said.

Her final message to Republicans elsewhere in the country was simple.

“They need to send help.”

Bass’ campaign and mayoral office were contacted by Fox News Digital for comment on Hoge’s criticism.