Nithya Raman Leads Karen Bass 51.7% to 48.3% in LA Mayoral Race
The Democratic Socialist candidate has overtaken the incumbent as Los Angeles County officials continue to count remaining ballots.
By Ryan Davidson ·
Nithya Raman is projected to defeat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for the position of Los Angeles mayor. Raman currently holds 51.7 percent of the vote as of the latest tallies. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office has not yet declared a formal winner because votes are still being counted. Members of both campaigns expect Raman to secure the final victory once all ballots are processed.
Bass held a narrow lead on election night. That margin vanished as additional precincts reported their results. The shift mirrors the outcome of the primary election earlier this year. In that race, Spencer Pratt, a reality television personality, initially appeared to be Bass’s opponent. Raman overtook Pratt as late-arriving ballots were counted. This pattern of a late surge has now defined the general election.
The result reflects a shift in the local political base. Bass, an establishment Democrat, faced criticism regarding her management of the Palisades and Eaton fires. Voters also cited the city’s homeless population and rising cost of living as key factors in their voting decisions. Raman, a 45-year-old member of the Democratic Socialists of America, campaigned against that establishment consensus.
Raman is not the only progressive candidate winning in Los Angeles. Marissa Roy, another DSA member, defeated her centrist rival to become city attorney. Kenneth Mejia, the city controller, won his reelection bid in June. The three officials form a new governing core that prioritizes anti-establishment policies over traditional coalition building.
Mejia spoke at Raman’s election night party on Tuesday. He noted that the political establishment largely backed Bass. “They were like ‘Yo, the entire political establishment is supporting Mayor Bass. And I’m like, ‘So? She’s got Kenneth Mejia. She’s got the people,’” Mejia said. His comments highlighted the confidence of the new progressive bloc within City Hall.
Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, described the election as a restructuring of local politics. The hospitality union was one of the few major labor groups to support Raman. “The political class of Los Angeles was absent at the Nithya Raman party because they were all with the incumbent,” Petersen said. He added that city council members who backed Bass did not successfully mobilize their constituents to the polls.
Raman addressed her supporters on Tuesday night to outline her vision for the city. She referenced the exodus of residents who could no longer afford to live in Los Angeles. “We watched friend after friend, family after family, leave [Los Angeles] because they couldn’t afford to stay here anymore,” Raman said. She argued that this departure fostered a belief that the city’s problems were permanent. The campaign team is awaiting the final certification of results from the county clerk.
