Bass, Raman face off in Tuesday mayoral runoff

Los Angeles voters will select a new mayor on Tuesday, ending a nine-month primary runoff between incumbent Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman. The contest pits the city's current leader against a younger Democratic challenger who entered the race in February 2026.

The political timeline for this election stretches back to July 2024. Bass launched her reelection bid shortly after a regional homelessness count showed a decrease in people living on the street. She attributed that progress to Inside Safe, her office's initiative to move residents into hotels and permanent housing. The program spent its first year clearing encampments in Hollywood, Venice, South Los Angeles, and downtown.

Raman, a 45-year-old councilmember, initially sought Bass's endorsement for her own 2024 reelection bid. Bass backed her in person and in campaign materials. Weeks later, Raman publicly endorsed Bass for mayor before withdrawing her support to launch her own mayoral campaign. The two candidates were once political allies, but the relationship turned competitive as the primary progressed.

Bass, 73, has defended her record on crime and affordable housing. She has also criticized Raman for shifting positions on issues such as police hiring and the city's mansion tax. All 14 of Raman's council colleagues, across the political spectrum, endorsed Bass for the runoff. Bass stated that she had managed constituent complaints in Raman's Hollywood Hills district for four years to assist her.

Raman has focused her campaign on the city's infrastructure and service delivery. She pointed to the unfinished SkyLink people mover at Los Angeles International Airport, which is years behind schedule and $1.4 billion over budget. In a Thursday news conference near the project, Raman argued that Angelenos pay more and get less under Bass's administration. She highlighted mismanagement and financial choices as key problems.

A Berkeley IGS and Los Angeles Times poll released this week shows the two candidates in a dead heat. One-fifth of surveyed voters remain undecided. Dan Schnur, a political communications professor at USC and UC Berkeley, noted that undecided voters are weighing the status quo against a change in leadership. He described Raman as a relatively unknown quantity who could improve or worsen the city's situation.

The winner will preside over the city as it hosts the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. The city is liable for the first $270 million of any losses from the event. Homelessness numbers in Los Angeles have risen after two years of reductions. The next mayor will also negotiate new contracts with city employee unions in January, which will determine funding for basic services.

Campaign spending in the runoff has been substantial. The Los Angeles Police Protective League political action committee spent about $6 million against Raman. Hedge fund manager Aaron Sosnick put $8 million into a campaign promoting Raman. The carpenters union contributed $3.8 million to Raman's support. The Central City Assn., supported in part by Airbnb, spent $2 million to help Bass.