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Nithya Raman Defeats Karen Bass in Los Angeles Mayoral Race
Confirmed
In Short: Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist, has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, becoming the city's first democratic socialist mayor.
Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, according to projections by CNN and the Associated Press. Raman secured 52.1% of the vote, while Bass earned 47.9%, with 76% of votes counted as of Thursday afternoon.
Raman's campaign focused on challenging Bass' record on homelessness, affordable housing, public safety, and the city's response to the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires. During an October debate, Raman criticized Bass for being in Ghana on a presidential delegation when the Palisades Fire broke out.
Bass apologized for her absence during the fires, saying, 'I am so profoundly sorry that I was not in my city when my city needed me.' She also defended her administration's recovery efforts, pointing to steps taken to help residents rebuild.
Raman's path to the mayor's office began on the Los Angeles City Council, where she was first elected in 2020 after defeating incumbent David Ryu, a Democrat. Her victory means the nation's two largest cities, Los Angeles and New York, will be led by democratic socialist mayors next year, following Zohran Mamdani's election in New York City in 2025.
The election data firm Decision Desk HQ has projected that Raman has defeated Bass in the Los Angeles mayor’s race, with Raman holding over 51% of the vote as of Thursday afternoon, compared to over 48% of the vote for Bass. While the final vote count may not be known for a week or so as ballots mailed in by Election Day continue to be counted, the current margins indicate that Raman has developed an insurmountable lead.
Bass faced persistent criticism over the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which began while she was in Ghana for a presidential inauguration. Raman specifically slammed Bass over the mayor’s handling of the fires that wreaked havoc in parts of the city in 2025, as well as the ongoing homelessness crisis and issues of police reform.
The all-Democratic election, which drew significant input from Hollywood and attention from Washington, D.C., largely served as a referendum on the leadership Bass has provided for the city while also representing a broader wave of socialist and progressive electoral victories around the country. Raman’s rise has jolted Los Angeles’ political establishment, with her challenge to Bass representing a broader shift in the city’s political landscape.
During her election night party on Nov. 3 at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, Raman denounced the “cynicism” which “started to make us believe that L.A.’s problems weren’t just bad, but they were permanent.”
What this adds
The election data firm Decision Desk HQ has projected that Raman has defeated Bass in the Los Angeles mayor’s race, with Raman holding over 51% of the vote as of Thursday afternoon, compared to over 48% of the vote for Bass.
What's confirmed
- Raman's victory means the nation's two largest cities, Los Angeles and New York, will be led by democratic socialist mayors next year, following Zohran Mamdani' s election in New York City in 2025.
- Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, becoming the first Democratic socialist to lead the nation's second-largest city.
- “While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken,” Bass said in a statement.
What's still developing
- While the two women had been political allies who cooperated on issues such as combatting homelessness in the city, the race between them took on a more adversarial tone, with each criticizing the other’s policies and track record in the city.
- Bass enjoyed support from major celebrities like Samuel L.
- "Even though every city councilperson said they were standing with Karen Bass, not very many of the people they represent followed them to the polls," said a labor leader who backed Raman.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she had reached out to her one-time ally to concede the election, handing the reins of victory to Raman, who becomes the first South Asian mayor of the nation’s second-most populous city.
- “If Nithya Raman becomes the mayor, the city needs to prepare for Armageddon,” McBride told the station, noting that the nation’s third largest police department is already severely understaffed ahead of the 2018 LA Olympics.
- “As we await for the votes to be counted, there is one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty, I have never been more proud of our city, more grateful for its people or more hopeful about what we can accomplish together,” Bass said.