Nithya Raman Defeats Karen Bass in Major Los Angeles Mayoral Upset

Nithya Raman Defeats Karen Bass in Los Angeles Mayoral Upset

Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, has defeated Mayor Karen Bass in an electoral upset that alters the political trajectory of the nation’s second-largest city. Bass becomes the first Los Angeles mayor in two decades to lose a reelection bid, undone by voter dissatisfaction following the deadly Palisades Fire and persistent challenges surrounding housing and homelessness.

Generational Shift at City Hall

Following the path set the previous year in New York where democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won election, India-born Raman launched an insurgent campaign that signaled a generational transformation at City Hall. Raman never attracted the same level of national attention as her New York counterpart and stressed her willingness to break with the progressive party at times during the race. Her entry into the contest marked a sharp change of heart after she initially endorsed Bass, once an ally. Declaring that the city had reached a breaking point, Raman announced her own candidacy just before the filing deadline.

Bass acknowledged the election results in a public statement. While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken, Bass said, adding that she called Raman to congratulate her and committed to ensuring a smooth transition.

The Fallout From the Palisades Fire and Policy Clashes

Bass’s first term suffered severe political damage from the deadly Palisades Fire, which ignited while she was out of the country and caught the fire department unprepared. The devastation left many voters with the feeling that Bass should be held accountable, a perception she never managed to overcome. Throughout the campaign, Bass argued that she made enough progress to merit a second four-year term and branded Raman’s views on policing and homelessness as extreme.

Raman countered by framing the city as being in deep crisis. A Berkeley IGS/LA Times survey carried out across Oct. 19 to 25 indicated that roughly 4 out of 10 likely voters viewed cutting back the amount of homeless encampments as a primary objective for the incoming mayor, whereas about 3 out of 10 put public safety or the construction of additional affordable housing first. Raman capitalized on this anxiety, overcoming criticism from Bass that she was not ready for prime time and lacked the experience to run a city of 3.8 million people.

Establishment Support Versus Grassroots Alliances

Raman secured her victory despite limited backing from the traditional Democratic establishment. Bass enjoyed the endorsement of Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and nearly every member of the City Council. Billionaire developer Rick Caruso also signaled support for Bass by stating he was voting for her, though he stopped short of a formal endorsement.

Raman built her coalition through advocacy and political groups, including Our Revolution—founded by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders—and the Sierra Club. She also landed a widely publicized private meeting with former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, signaling an effort to broaden her circle of allies.

Policy Plans and Priorities for 2028

Raman has pledged to oust the police chief, whom she views as too accommodating with federal immigration authorities, and to fix basic municipal services like pothole-ridden streets and broken streetlights. On homelessness, she criticized Bass’s efforts as ineffective and promised to expand medical teams for people living in encampments to build trust and bring them indoors. She also aims to provide permanent housing to move people out of city-rented hotels.

Raman stated her plans could reduce the number of people sleeping in tents and encampments by at least half by 2028, when Los Angeles hosts the Olympic Games. However, the homelessness crisis has long proved intractable despite billions spent in the region.

More on Karen Bass: Mayor Karen Bass touts drops in Los Angeles homicides