Indian-Origin Nithya Raman Wins Los Angeles Mayoral Election, Defeats Incumbent Karen Bass

Raman, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, was first elected in 2020. In February she joined the race for mayor against Bass, while having publicly supported her a few weeks before.

The contest took form as a clash between two significantly different approaches to politics in which the issues of public safety, affordable housing, and homelessness played a prominent role.

Raman and Bass had parties.Raman and Bass had parties, with different political groups.

Bass garnered backing from several prominent political groups, such as the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and the county's Democratic Party, while Raman had others supporting him, including Democratic Socialists of America and transportation advocacy group Streets For All.

In the closing days, the candidates had their distinct campaign tactics as well. Bass targeted older citizens, engaging them at senior centers in areas like Northridge and West Adams. Meanwhile, Raman was courting the younger generation by making visits to bars, nightclubs and college campuses calling for a shift in leadership at City Hall.

Former California state lawmaker and Congressman Bass had received just 34 per cent in the June 2 primary. Her popularity had also been on a downward trend since the 2025 Palisades fire that occurred when she was overseas on a diplomatic mission.

Homelessness became a key talking point of the election

In her campaign, Bass emphasized her administration's work for housing for the poor and homeless, and decreasing violent crime. Her government claimed the homeless population has shrunk by 11 per cent.

Raman questioned the use of the current method, saying it was costly and not effective. Citing a decrease in homeless camps near her district in Hollywood Hills, she promised to cut street homelessness in half by the end of her first four years and end the problem by the summer of 2028.

Between Oct. 19 and 25, Berkeley IGS and The Los Angeles Times conducted a survey that showed that about 40 percent of likely voters ranked reducing homeless encampments as a top priority. Low income housing and public safety were also major issues.

Who and what is Nithya Raman?

Raman was born in Kerala in 1981 and came to the United States when she was 6, and became an American citizen at 22.

She attended Harvard University and obtained her Masters degree in Urban Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Prior to entering politics, Raman was the founder of Transparent Chennai, an urban research organisation that works on sanitation and civic amenities to improve urban conditions. She moved to LA in 2013 and was appointed to the City's Municipal Administrative Officer as well as founding and executive producing Time's Up Entertainment and the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition.

At her election-night event at the Greek Theatre plaza, Raman had first called for caution, and refrained from declaring victory.

She told the crowd, "I'm hopeful, I'm very hopeful" and again told the crowd she was superstitious and asked supporters to stay calm.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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