Nithya Raman was elected to serve as the mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Karen Bass in a major political shake-up that reflects the growing dissatisfaction with the direction of the city.
The progressive urban planner had served on LA’s city council since 2020. She caused a stir when she entered the race earlier this year hours before the filing deadline – and shortly after endorsing Bass for re-election – and her campaign was once viewed as a long shot.
But she shot up in the polls over the summer and, with support from the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, frequently garnered comparisons with Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor.
The Associated Press called the race for Raman on Thursday, with returns showing Raman was leading with just over 52% of the votes to Bass’s 48%.
Raman’s win came after a historic election night for Democrats across the US who won control of the House and Senate in a rebuke of Donald Trump and his party. The contest in deep blue Los Angeles was unique by comparison. Raman and Bass are progressives, and the mayoral race became a bitter battle between two candidates representing different generations and frequently clashing wings of the party.
“I love this city and I love its people. And I cannot wait to get started on building a better future together with all of you,” Raman said in a video statement after her victory.
Raman also heaped praise on her former ally Bass, describing her “someone who has given decades of her life to making the city what it is today”.
The conciliatory tone marked a departure from a contentious race, where Raman and Bass traded biting remarks about each other’s perceived failures to address the city’s woes.
Bass had never before lost an election, but faced a difficult road to winning another term as mayor given her low approval ratings on par with Donald Trump’s, Angelenos’ frustration about the state of the city, and the wave of anti-establishment sentiment that has swept US politics.
The election came as Los Angeles grappled with significant challenges, including frustration over homelessness, as well as rising costs and housing affordability.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s deportation campaign hit the region hard, Hollywood is struggling, and the city faces a huge budget shortfall.
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken,” Bass said on Thursday. “I have called councilmember Nithya Raman to congratulate her on her victory, and I have committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition. Moving this city forward is what Los Angeles needs from all of us.”
Raman pitched herself to voters as the candidate who can “meet this moment with honesty and urgency” while lowering rents, improving city streets, reducing homelessness and keeping Angelenos safe.
She struggled in the primary – key portions of the city’s liberal base and large unions had already aligned with Bass – and was overshadowed by Spencer Pratt’s showy campaign.
Pratt, a former reality TV star and registered Republican, decided to run after he lost his home in the Palisades fire. He had splashy and viral campaign ads critical of the mayor and Raman. He was a frequent thorn in Bass’s side, arguing she was mismanaging the city, and that officials had both failed to adequately prepare for the fire and were falling short in recovery efforts.
Raman managed to narrowly beat him in the primary, and was soon making headway. Her campaign received a significant boost from the endorsement of the Los Angeles chapter of DSA, of which she was a longtime member.
The support meant that a large network of volunteers were knocking on doors to campaign for her across the city. Shortly before the election, the organization’s national leaders considered rescinding the chapter’s support until Raman stated her position on the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, but a vote on the matter ultimately failed.
As fall progressed, Bass’s campaign intensified its criticism of Raman, and narrowed her lead. But Raman ultimately prevailed after winning support from voters across Los Angeles.
Raman supporters celebrated and cheered during an event for the candidate outside the Greek Theatre on Tuesday night. Max Rico, a high school teacher in South Central Los Angeles, said he felt hopeful Raman would pull ahead as ballots from young voters were tallied.
Rico, who was wearing a ballot box costume from Halloween, had previously supported Bass but was left disappointed by her tenure and said her policies did not help communities that needed it. He said he was most excited about Raman’s positions on affordable housing because as a teacher he had frequently seen students leave mid-year as their families relocate to areas with lower costs of living.
“Hopefully we can keep more families here,” he said.