Historic win: Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass, becoming LA’s first democratic socialist mayor

The City of Los Angeles, the second-most populous city in the United States and the largest city on the West Coast, has officially chosen Nithya Raman, an immigrant born in Kerala, India, as its next mayor. 

Raman, the second woman elected mayor of L.A. in a row, will become the city's 44th mayor, leaving former incumbent Karen Bass without a seat at the table. 

This win also makes Raman L.A.’s first democratic socialist mayor.

Bass called Raman Thursday morning and conceded, handing Raman the win, per the L.A. Times. According to the Associated Press’s latest results, Raman received 52.1% of the vote, over Bass’s 47.9%.

“Los Angeles is absolutely stunning tonight,” Raman said as she stood on the podium at around 11 p.m. at her election party on Tuesday night at the Greek Theater. 

“Do you love L.A. and are you ready for a L.A. that loves you back?” she asked the thousands of attendees present that night. 

“This government has made solving problems look impossible for so long that I heard from people across the city who started to believe that it was not possible,” Raman said. “Hopelessness can be fatal for a city. But this campaign refused to accept that. Because you know that L.A. is a city with hope in its soil, a city built on dreams and ambition and a refusal to accept the status quo.” 

For months, Raman, who moved to the United States when she was six years old, worked to convince voters in L.A. that she was the better choice over 73-year-old Bass, who has lost support from voters in recent months due to issues like the Lineage Fire in Boyle Heights, increasing homelessness, the LAPD's growing budget, the cost of living and the Palisade Fire, among many other things. 

Raman celebrated the victory of a nine-month mayoral race at the Greek Theater located in the heart of City Council District 4, a district that Raman represented and lived in since 2020. 

She dedicated her victory to her family, campaign partners and supporters. 

“We had a vision for our city, one that people who make this city extraordinary can afford a home. It's a simple vision. It does not feel that radical to me,” Raman said about her campaign.  

She said she decided to run as a Democratic Socialist of America candidate for mayor in a last-minute bid to unseat Bass in February. She said she ran against Bass, once her political ally, because she wanted change. 

The mayoral race has made national headlines as both candidates had been at a dead heat. The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times revealed in their latest poll that both Bass and Raman were in a statistical tie, with each having  40% of voter support. The poll, released less than a week ago, also showed that 19% of voters were still undecided. 

Raman, who was once considered the underdog, gained support and popularity among young voters.

Raman, a Harvard and MIT graduate, ran her campaign as the "alternative" choice, promising a new and improved approach to issues affecting all Angelenos, especially those living in underserved communities of L.A.

Raman will now work with the 15 city council members, a difficult task since most of them endorsed Bass for reelection. 

After Bass’s defeat, this will also mark the first time an incumbent has lost the mayoral race since 2005, when James Hahn lost to Antonio Villaraigosa. 

To view the previously published feature story on Raman, click here.