Former State Legislator Isadore Hall Challenges Kenneth Mejia for Los Angeles City Controller
Isadore Hall, a veteran politician with a lengthy track record in elected office, has launched a campaign to challenge Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia. Mejia, a young leftist who won the controller seat in 2022, has announced his own reelection bid earlier this month. Hall, who is backed by prominent endorsers, including L.A. County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger, argues that Mejia has been more focused on “social media theatrics” than protecting tax dollars.
Hall, 52, has spent roughly 15 years in elected office, beginning with the Compton school board in his mid-20s. He has a master’s degree in management and public administration and has experience weeding out government waste and fraud in Compton. Hall’s endorsements include L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, California Treasurer Fiona Ma, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and five state legislators. If elected, Hall would be the city’s first Black controller, while Mejia, who is Filipino American, previously made history as the first Asian American elected to citywide office in L.A.
Mejia’s Record and Hall’s Criticisms
Mejia has sought to demystify the city’s complex budget process and finances with frequent social media videos. His office has audited the Los Angeles Police Department’s use of helicopters, homeless shelter bed data, and the implementation of an anti-tenant harassment ordinance, among other topics. However, Hall argues that Mejia’s office is poorly managed and lacks good communication with city department heads and other local leaders. Hall also criticizes Mejia for being more focused on social media than protecting tax dollars, citing his own experience in elected office and his ability to bring common sense leadership and accountability.
Mejia’s successful campaign in 2022 coincided with a moment where faith in L.A. City Hall was at a nadir amid numerous criminal scandals and an explosive leaked recording of some City Council members frankly discussing politics in sometimes racist terms. The question in 2026 will be whether the civic pendulum has shifted and if the phrase “veteran politician” still doubles as an effective slur. Mejia will also now be running as the incumbent rather than an outsider, which may change the dynamics of the campaign.
Controversies and Criticisms
Attempts by critics to paint Mejia in 2022 as too “extreme” because of his anti-police positions and past bombastic tweets largely fell flat. However, Mejia may attack Hall for controversies involving campaign finance, including Hall’s use of campaign funds to pay for expensive dinners, limousine rentals, luxury suites at concerts, and trips during his 2014 campaign for state Senate. Hall was also accused of illegally spending general election funds during the primary in his 2016 congressional run, although a Federal Election Commission audit confirmed some misuse but took no enforcement action.
Hall has said that he hadn’t been an expert in the complex rules of congressional campaign finance but held his accountant accountable for the error and learned from the experience. The coming race will almost certainly pit L.A. establishment politics against the city’s ascendant left, with Hall representing the more traditional flank of the Democratic Party and Mejia representing the progressive wing.
The race for Los Angeles City Controller is expected to be highly contested, with Hall and Mejia representing vastly different visions for the city’s future. As the campaign heats up, voters will have to decide which candidate is best suited to lead the city’s financial management and oversight. For more information, visit Here
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