Raman Defeats Bass to Become First South Asian Mayor of Los Angeles
The 45-year-old council member secured 52% of the vote, marking the first time an incumbent Los Angeles mayor has lost in nearly 25 years.
By Alexander Novak ·
Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Karen Bass on Thursday to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. With 52% of the vote compared to Bass's 48%, Raman ended a tenure that saw Bass become the first Black woman to hold the office. The result marks the first successful challenge against a sitting Los Angeles mayor since the early 2000s.
Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is 45 and of Indian descent. She was elected to the City Council six years ago after defeating an incumbent in 2020. Her victory follows a contentious campaign where she positioned herself as a challenger to the status quo, while Bass relied on endorsements from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, the Chamber of Commerce, and the L.A. County Federation of Labor.
In a video statement released Thursday morning, Raman described herself as "deeply honored" to lead the city. She pledged to build affordable housing, create parks, and improve transit systems for working families. "That work starts now," Raman said, citing a need for a government capable of delivering on its promises.
Bass, who is 73, conceded the race in a statement calling it an honor to serve "the city that raised me." She acknowledged that the people of Los Angeles had spoken and committed to a smooth transition. Bass noted that she had called Raman to congratulate her on the victory.
The election featured a stark generational divide in voter support. A UC Berkeley and L.A. Times poll taken days before the election found that voters ages 30 to 39 overwhelmingly supported Raman, while Bass drew much of her backing from older voters. Raman’s campaign included more than 11,000 volunteers who knocked on over 110,000 doors.
Financial backing for the race was substantial. Outside independent expenditures totaled more than $16 million in support of Bass, compared to $13 million for Raman. Hedge fund manager Aaron Sosnick contributed more than $8.5 million to ads supporting Raman. Three major labor unions, including the United Auto Workers and UNITE HERE Local 11, broke with the Federation of Labor to back Raman.
Raman faces a challenging legislative landscape upon taking office. All but one of her City Council colleagues endorsed Bass, including three other members of the DSA. Only City Controller Kenneth Mejia endorsed Raman. Marissa Roy, a DSA-backed candidate, is currently leading in the race for city attorney.
Raman promised to address homelessness, housing affordability, and police reform. She stated she would remove Police Chief Jim McDonnell as part of her plan. She also vowed to improve basic city services, such as pothole and streetlight repair. Her predecessor, Bass, had faced criticism regarding the Fire Department’s response to the Palisades Fire and mismanagement at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Source: LAist
