Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member born in India, has won the race for mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Karen Bass. Bass called Raman on Thursday, November 5, to concede after the November 3 election.
With a large share of the ballots counted, Raman led with roughly 51 to 52 per cent of the vote against about 48 per cent for Bass. Raman, 45, is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. She was born in Kerala in 1981 and moved to the United States at the age of six. She graduated from Harvard University and earned a master’s degree in urban planning at MIT.
A late entry
Raman has sat on the city council since 2020 and was the first council member affiliated with the Democratic Socialists. She entered the mayoral race only hours before the filing deadline, shortly after endorsing Bass for re-election. The move angered much of the city’s Democratic establishment, which had rallied behind Bass.
Her campaign focused on what she called “pothole politics”, pointing to broken streetlights and damaged pavements as failures of city leadership. She also spoke to younger voters’ anger over the cost of living, and promised to lower rents, improve streets, reduce homelessness and keep residents safe. In the primary she narrowly beat Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star and Republican who entered the race after losing his home in the Palisades fire. The local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America then endorsed her and provided a large network of volunteers.
Bass, 73, was elected in 2022 as the first Black woman to serve as the city’s mayor. Her term was marked by criticism of her handling of the deadly 2025 wildfires, as well as concerns over homelessness, housing costs and a large budget shortfall.
Reactions
In a statement, Bass said: “While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken.” She said she had congratulated Raman and committed to a smooth transition.
Raman said she was honoured to be the next mayor, that she loves the city and believes in its people, and that the work ahead will be hard. She also praised Bass for giving decades of her life to the city. Her campaign had often drawn comparisons with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
US President Donald Trump warned that Democratic Socialist leadership in major cities could have serious consequences that may be hard to reverse. He also alleged irregularities in the Los Angeles election, without offering evidence.
Raman will lead the city as it prepares to host the 2028 Olympics.
