Nithya Raman defeats incumbent Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race

Nithya Raman, a 45-year-old City Council member and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won the Los Angeles mayoral runoff, defeating incumbent Karen Bass, a former six-term congresswoman and long-time California political figure. Raman’s victory adds her to a growing list of major-city leaders identified with democratic socialism, joining New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Washington, D.C. Mayor Janeese Lewis George.

The race was shaped by criticism of Bass’s handling of a January 2025 wildfire in Pacific Palisades, which occurred while she was attending a presidential inauguration in Ghana and resulted in extensive property loss and twelve fatalities. Raman, a former urban planner and activist, accused Bass of mismanaging homelessness and housing affordability, and said the city needed “transformative policy change.”

"She’s not ready for primetime," Bass responded, referring to Raman’s experience.

The candidates also diverged on foreign-policy issues, particularly the war in Gaza, reflecting a generational split within the Democratic Party. Raman expressed agreement with a left-wing commentator’s characterization of Israeli actions as genocide, while Bass rejected that label.

Raman had previously endorsed Bass before launching her own campaign. Both candidates finished first and second in the June 2 primary, advancing to a runoff against Spencer Pratt, a former reality-TV personality known for his anti-establishment messaging.

If elected, Raman will inherit the task of preparing Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympics, a project that will test the city’s infrastructure, transit system and security capabilities. Raman represents a council district that spans the San Fernando Valley to the Santa Monica Mountains; she was born in India, immigrated as a child, and later attended Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.