Nithya Raman to Become Los Angeles' First Asian American Mayor
The city council member is projected to defeat incumbent Karen Bass, securing a victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party after a contentious campaign focused on housing and the entertainment industry.
By Aiko Soto ·
Los Angeles is on the verge of electing its 44th mayor, with Nithya Raman projected to unseat incumbent Karen Bass. The result marks a shift in city leadership, positioning a progressive council member as the new head of the nation's second-largest city. Raman, 45, is expected to become the first Asian American to hold the office.
Decision Desk H.Q., an independent election polling site that partners with Ballotpedia, announced the projection for Raman. At the time of the call, she led by more than three percentage points with nearly 75% of expected votes counted. Major media outlets such as NBC News had not yet declared a winner. The final tally may take up to a week, as mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day remain valid.
Raman celebrated her projected victory at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park on November 3. She criticized the local political establishment for fostering a sense of cynicism about the city's problems. Raman stated that Los Angeles is worth fighting for every single day of their lives. Her campaign emphasized her background as a Harvard- and MIT-trained urban planner and her work founding a homelessness nonprofit.
The race featured two candidates with distinct ties to Hollywood. Bass, 73, the city's first female mayor, had supporters including Jane Fonda and J.J. Abrams. Raman attracted donations from writers and producers such as Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling. Both candidates pledged to support unlimited film and television credits at the state level. Raman also criticized Bass for delaying the appointment of a film liaison to the industry.
Bass served in the California state assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade before becoming mayor. She represented a largely African American and Hispanic section of South L.A. during her time in Congress. In the 2020 presidential cycle, former President Joe Biden reportedly considered her as a potential running mate.
Raman's political trajectory involved a complex relationship with the Democratic Socialist movement. She was censured by the local chapter in 2024 for not fully adopting its policy positions against Israel. The local chapter eventually endorsed her for mayor, despite challenges from national DSA leadership. She also clashed with other progressive city officials who backed Bass.
The general election followed a primary that drew national attention due to the candidacy of Spencer Pratt, a former reality television star. Pratt lost his home in the Palisades wildfire and campaigned on a platform of grievance politics. Local billionaire Rick Caruso, who lost to Bass in 2022, announced in October that he would vote for the incumbent despite his criticisms of her disaster response. Raman's term will coincide with the 2028 Summer Olympics.
