Democratic socialist Nithya Raman defeats incumbent Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race
City council member Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist, has won the mayoral race in Los Angeles, the second most populous US city. Incumbent mayor Karen Bass conceded defeat.
Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles city council member who identifies as a democratic socialist, has won the mayoral election in California and unseated incumbent Karen Bass. Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the United States. Raman entered the race as a long-shot candidate, and her victory stunned political observers in the state.
Bass, a Democrat, previously served in Congress and had never lost a race for political office. On Thursday she announced on social media that she had called Raman to concede, writing that the result was not the one she had hoped for but that the people of Los Angeles had spoken.
Raman's pledges
Raman, an immigrant from India, campaigned on change and on fixing the "broken status quo". She promised to reduce homelessness, increase housing, save Hollywood jobs from further cuts and protect residents from immigration enforcement. She also pledged to fix roads, support beautification efforts and help bring back the city's nightlife.
Impact of the fires
A central issue in the race was the 2025 Los Angeles fires, which killed dozens of people and razed neighbourhoods. Bass faced intense political fallout over her absence during the emergency and over the city's response to the disaster.
What it means
Raman is frequently compared with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as both are democratic socialists who ran on progressive platforms. With her win, the two largest US cities will be led by democratic socialists. The new mayor will oversee the city as it hosts the Super Bowl in 2027 and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
