Nithya Raman Becomes Los Angeles’ Next Mayor After Victory Over Incumbent Karen Bass

Councilmember Nithya Raman is set to be the next mayor of Los Angeles, emerging victorious over incumbent Karen Bass in the general election. This result was projected by CBS News.

Raman’s win occurs after significant successes for Democrats nationwide on Election Day. As a Democratic socialist, she overcame Spencer Pratt in the June primary, despite a setback a week before the election, according to data from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times.

A survey from the UC Berkeley Institute and the LA Times, released shortly before the election, indicated a tie between Bass and Raman, each with 40% support among probable voters. Both candidates rose to the forefront after the primary, ahead of third-place candidate Pratt.

“A lot of the voters who were previously supporting Spencer Pratt in the primary have now weighed in, and they have moved to Bass,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS poll.

Raman saw a slight decrease in support from Pratt backers, dropping from 16% in September to 14% in October. Yet, many Pratt voters, about 45%, remained undecided.

Councilmember Nithya Raman’s Political Journey

Raman announced her unexpected run for mayor in February, despite her earlier endorsement of Bass. During the primary, she described her campaign as a challenging endeavor before surpassing Pratt and moving on to face Bass in the general election.

She was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, having served as co-chair of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Homelessness Committee and as a co-founder of a homeless advocacy nonprofit. One of her significant actions in office was in 2025, when she introduced a motion to limit maximum annual rent increases in rent-stabilized apartments built before 1978, which passed with a 13-2 vote. She aspires to initiate similar actions to benefit small businesses.

Mayor Karen Bass’ Political Career

After over two decades in public roles, including as a congresswoman and LA’s 43rd Mayor, Bass stated this would be her last campaign. Raised in LA, she started her career as a nurse and physician assistant, founding the Community Coalition to assist underserved South LA residents.

Her political career began in 2004 as a member of the California Assembly, becoming the first Black woman to lead a state legislative body as Speaker. In 2010, she transitioned to the House of Representatives, serving for 12 years.

Before the primary election, Bass received support from high-profile politicians, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris. A week before the November election, billionaire Rick Caruso endorsed her, setting aside their past rivalry from the 2022 mayoral race.

“For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me because this election must be about our future,” Caruso declared in a social media post.

He stated his apprehensions regarding Raman were more about her competence than her ideology.