Former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner has withdrawn from the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race, ending a campaign that had positioned him as a results-driven alternative to Mayor Karen Bass.
Beutner announced Thursday that he is stepping aside following the death of his 22-year-old daughter, Emily, last month. Her cause of death has not been publicly released.
“My family has experienced the unimaginable loss of our beloved daughter Emily. She was a magical person, the light of our lives. We are still in mourning,” Beutner said in a statement. “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.”
