LA Mayor: Nithya Raman projected to defeat incumbent Karen Bass
The progressive candidate leads with 51.7% of counted votes after reversing an initial deficit, signaling a shift in city power.
By Mariam Saleh ·
Nithya Raman is projected to defeat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office has not yet declared an official winner, but members of both campaigns expect Raman to secure the final tally. Raman currently holds 51.7% of the reported votes.
The result marks a reversal of the early vote count. Bass held a narrow lead on election night, a position that disappeared as later ballots arrived. This mirrors the dynamics of the primary election, where reality TV star Spencer Pratt initially appeared to be Bass’s opponent. Raman overcame that early deficit to win the nomination, a pattern now repeating in the general election.
Political analysts attribute the shift to voter dissatisfaction with Bass’s administration. Critics pointed to her handling of the Palisades and Eaton fires, the city’s homelessness crisis, and rising living costs. Bass, described as an establishment Democrat, faced opposition from a progressive base. Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, capitalized on this anti-establishment sentiment.
Raman is part of a broader progressive wave in Los Angeles city government. Marissa Roy, also a DSA member, won the city attorney race decisively against a centrist rival. City Controller Kenneth Mejia won reelection in June as the top vote-getter. These three officials now form a bloc that challenges traditional power structures in the city.
Mejia expressed his stance during Raman’s election night celebration. He told attendees, “I’m so damn proud to be the only one in City Hall who supported Mayor Raman.” He added that while the political establishment backed Bass, Mejia stood with the people. This alignment has created tension between the city’s administrative leadership and its elected representatives.
Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, characterized the election as a restructuring of local politics. He noted that the political class was absent from Raman’s party because they supported the incumbent. Petersen observed that despite council members endorsing Bass, their constituents largely did not follow suit to the polls.
Raman addressed her supporters on Tuesday night, focusing on the affordability crisis driving residents out of the city. She stated, “We watched friend after friend, family after family, leave [Los Angeles] because they couldn’t afford to stay here anymore.” She argued that this exodus fostered a cynicism that viewed Los Angeles’s problems as permanent rather than solvable.
