Nithya Raman is projected to become Los Angeles’ next mayor, unseating incumbent Karen Bass in a stunning political upset that marks a major shift in the city’s leadership.
As of Thursday morning, Raman’s lead continued to grow. With more than 75% of votes counted, she was ahead by more than four percentage points and nearly 35,000 votes.
Similar to her victory in the primaries, younger voters appear to favor Raman and tend to vote by mail, contributing to another late lead for the candidate. Decision Desk HQ called the race Wednesday, when Raman held an even narrower lead.
When mayoral candidate Nithya Raman delivered her final words on Election Day just before midnight in Los Angeles, she was trailing slightly behind her opponent, Karen Bass.
Despite the razor-thin lead her opponent held over her, Raman walked onto her campaign stage with a vibrant smile — donning a satin, wine-colored dress — and told supporters she felt “hopeful.”
As Election Day turned to Nov. 4, Raman danced at the Greek Theatre Plaza alongside loved ones as she began to pull ahead in the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Born in Kerala, India, Raman moved to the U.S. at the age of 6 and settled in Massachusetts. She graduated from Harvard University in 2003 with a degree in social studies. She later attended MIT, earning a master’s degree in urban planning.
At the age of 22, the mayor-elect became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She moved to Los Angeles in 2013, where she worked for the Los Angeles city administrative officer. Before joining L.A.’s City Council, Raman founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, an outreach nonprofit in the city.
Raman has served as the councilmember for District Four since her election in 2020. During her tenure on City Council, Raman has pushed for reforms to increase housing, decrease homelessness and protect tenant rights in Los Angeles. Her district has seen a 49% decrease in homelessness, according to her team.
Raman was a last-minute entry into the mayoral race, submitting her paperwork just hours before the deadline. Mayor Bass had previously been expected to win, with no real competitor in sight at the time.
Running increasingly aggressive campaigns, Bass and Raman repeatedly fired shots at one another on social media and during heated debates, despite previously being political allies.
As she addressed supporters Tuesday night, Raman acknowledged the blue wave rippling across the country, saying Los Angeles, like the rest of the country, was ready for change.
Under Mayor Bass, Raman said in her speech, Angelenos had begun to fear that the city’s problems were more than just “bad” — they were permanent. Through her children and connections with her community, Raman said she could see that the city craved a new vision for the place they loved, inspiring her run for mayor.
“We have had enough of establishment politics,” Raman said. “This campaign has made it clear that the days of our broken status quo are over.”
Raman pushed back against those who called her “radical and divisive” as she laid out her plans for a safe and affordable Los Angeles, where government officials are held accountable. She added, “It doesn’t feel that radical.”
Raman’s major campaign promises have centered on homelessness, affordable housing and police accountability.
A harsh critic of Bass’ Inside Safe program, Raman’s approach to addressing the homelessness crisis focuses on expanding targeted interim housing while prioritizing long-term housing solutions and tenant protections.
Rather than prioritizing expansion and additional hiring within the department, as Mayor Bass intended, Raman has advocated for integrating more civilian responders into the city’s public safety infrastructure. She has argued that trained civilian responders should handle more calls involving mental health, homelessness and other situations that do not require armed officers. Raman has also repeatedly stated that she would fire and replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, a move Bass warned could spark disorder ahead of the LA28 Olympic Games.
Many prominent Angelenos, including members of City Council and Mayor Bass, have questioned whether Raman has the experience and understanding of Los Angeles needed to lead the city. With the Summer Olympics quickly approaching, homelessness throughout the city on the rise and no end to President Donald Trump’s war on immigration in sight, Raman will face the ultimate test in the new year.
“I want to build a Los Angeles where the values you teach me are embedded into the fabric of this big, beautiful, complicated city,” Raman told her children before addressing the crowd Tuesday night. “We have shown Los Angeles that we can believe in ourselves again. That we can dream of a city that builds, that welcomes, that takes care of its people. A city that’s worth fighting for every single day of our lives.”
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