Democratic socialist Nithya Raman has been elected mayor of Los Angeles, narrowly defeating incumbent Karen Bass in a major shake-up that reflects growing dissatisfaction with the city's direction.
Raman, a progressive urban planner who has served on the LA city council since 2020, entered the race hours before the filing deadline earlier this year, shortly after endorsing Bass for re-election. Her campaign was once viewed as a long shot.
A Narrow Victory
Bass called Raman to concede the race on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times, with returns showing Raman 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. In deep blue Los Angeles, the mayoral race was unique by comparison, as both candidates were progressives representing different generations and frequently clashing wings of the party.
Challenging Road for Bass
Bass had never before lost an election but faced a difficult path to another term, given low approval ratings on par with Donald Trump's, frustration among Angelenos about the state of the city, and a wave of anti-establishment sentiment in US politics.
The election came as Los Angeles grappled with significant challenges, including frustration over homelessness, rising costs, and housing affordability. The Trump administration's deportation campaign hit the region hard, Hollywood is struggling, and the city faces a huge budget shortfall.
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.
Campaign Dynamics
Raman struggled in the primary, as key portions of the city's liberal base and large unions had already aligned with Bass, and she was overshadowed by Spencer Pratt's showy campaign. Pratt, a former reality TV star and registered Republican, ran after losing his home in the Palisades fire, with viral ads critical of the mayor and Raman.
Raman narrowly beat Pratt in the primary and soon gained momentum. Her campaign received a significant boost from the endorsement of the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, of which she was a longtime member, mobilizing a large network of volunteers to campaign across the city.
Supporters Celebrate
As fall progressed, Bass's campaign intensified criticism of Raman and narrowed her lead, but Raman ultimately prevailed with support from voters across Los Angeles.
Supporters celebrated at an event 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 had previously supported Bass, said he was most excited about Raman's positions on affordable housing, having seen students leave mid-year as families relocated to areas with lower costs of living. “Hopefully we can keep more families here,” he said.
