Nithya Raman to become Los Angeles mayor

Nithya Raman will be the next mayor of Los Angeles.

She defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the primary election held on Tuesday.

Some votes are still being tallied, but the outcome is clear.

Raman’s victory is unusual for two main reasons.

Every member of her own City Council endorsed Bass.

Raman also changed her stance on several key issues during the campaign.

She previously supported Bass’ homelessness strategy.

Recently, she rescinded her endorsement of the incumbent.

Voters in Eagle Rock said they wanted a change from the past four years.

Robert Martinez, a retired IT worker, voted for Raman at the Eagle Rock Rec Center.

Martinez said he was not thrilled about Raman personally.

He cited the homelessness epidemic and the state of the city’s infrastructure as reasons for his choice. "I saw what happened these last four years," Martinez said, "and I’m hoping something different goes on this time." Young progressives also turned out in numbers for Raman. They voted for her rather than against Bass. Bass faced low approval ratings before the election. She left the city for part of January 2025 during the Pacific Palisades fires. Her homelessness initiative spent billions but showed limited progress. The city faces several ongoing problems. Roads and sidewalks are deteriorating. The homeless count tops 40,000 people. New housing construction is slow. The budget for most city services is tight. The city will host the 2028 Olympics. Tom Hogen-Esch, a political science professor at Cal State Northridge, described the city’s system as tangled and confused. "You have all of these wicked problems that are difficult to solve in a perfect scenario, and [even more] in a governmental system as tangled and confused as L.A.," Hogen-Esch told The Times’ Jennie Jarvie. Raman has two potential allies in local government. City Controller Kenneth Mejia monitors city efficiency. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath is a candidate for the new position of county executive. Horvath said the challenges are daunting. "You’re right, it is daunting," Horvath said, "But I don’t think it was a secret to Nithya when she got into the race." Horvath noted that Raman’s campaign focused on building power by acknowledging voter frustration. "Whether or not you like each other, or formally agree or disagree, when people are able to accomplish change that the public is longing for, everybody wants to be a part of that win," Horvath said. Raman plans to increase housing production. She intends to add bike lanes. She plans to replace the current police chief. She will use data to assess city performance. In her council district, homelessness has declined. She criticized the cost and pace of Bass’ homelessness efforts. "I know this about Raman," Horvath said, "She is not afraid of a tough conversation." Raman favors greater housing density. She opposes bans on homelessness in certain public areas. About half of voters remain wary that Raman will move city policy too far to the left. In Pico-Union, Aurora Corona voted for Bass despite wanting change. "It’s not working," Corona said, referring to the lack of progress on homelessness and infrastructure. In Studio City, Jon Manzanares voted for Raman. He and neighbors reported problems at an abandoned property for five years. A fire at the property in September spread to an adjacent house. "Between Bass and Raman, I wasn’t happy with either," Manzanares said. "I ended up voting with Raman," he added, "I feel like Bass had her shot and didn’t do much with it." Raman’s term begins after the certification of the election results.