Nithya Raman, a progressive Los Angeles City Council member, has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass to become the next leader of the nation's second-largest city. Raman secured a narrow victory with 52% of the vote compared to Bass's 48%, with three-quarters of the votes counted. Mayor Bass called Raman on Thursday, November 5, to concede the race.
Raman, a progressive urban planner who has served on the city council since 2020, entered the mayoral race just hours before the filing deadline. Her campaign was initially viewed as a long shot, particularly as she had previously endorsed Bass for re-election. During her campaign, Raman railed against the broken status quo of the metropolis.
Backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, Raman has promised to take action on affordable housing and homelessness. Her upset victory reflects growing dissatisfaction with the direction of the city and is expected to alter its trajectory.
The win comes amid resounding victories for Democrats across the country on Election Day. Raman's success mirrors a broader trend as voters sent DSA candidates to city halls in several U.S. cities.