Indian-origin candidate Nithya Raman leads Los Angeles mayoral race over incumbent Karen Bass
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Preliminary results show Nithya Raman ahead with about 51.7% of the vote, while incumbent Mayor Karen Bass remains in contention as one-third of ballots are still uncounted.
Preliminary vote tallies indicate that Indian-origin councilmember Nithya Raman has taken a narrow lead over incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, with Raman holding roughly 51.7% of the counted votes, according to the Associated Press. About one-third of the ballots remain to be counted, leaving the final outcome uncertain.
Raman, 45, has emphasized a platform focused on reducing homelessness, expanding healthcare services for people living on the streets, and increasing affordable housing. She has pledged to cut the number of people sleeping in tents and encampments by at least half by 2028 and has called for changes to the police department’s size and leadership, though she recently clarified that the department should remain at its current size.
Mayor Bass, 73, highlighted her administration’s efforts to clear encampments and place thousands of homeless individuals into shelters, while acknowledging challenges with program retention. She has advocated for hiring additional police officers and has defended the city’s 2023 police contract.
Both candidates are Democrats. Bass is supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and most members of the city council. Raman’s endorsements include advocacy groups such as Our Revolution and the Sierra Club, though she lacks backing from prominent local elected officials.
A recent Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll found that roughly 40% of likely voters consider reducing homeless encampments a top priority for the next mayor, with about 30% prioritizing public safety and affordable housing.
"We will achieve victory. I love Los Angeles," Bass said at a campaign rally.
"Homelessness is rising despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent. Storefronts are closing," Raman said during the televised debate, adding that Bass had been "missing in action."