Nithya Raman Wins Los Angeles Mayoral Race as Karen Bass Concedes
Nithya Raman will become the next mayor of Los Angeles after incumbent Karen Bass conceded defeat and pledged to support a smooth transition. Raman’s victory followed a closely fought campaign in which Bass initially held a narrow lead, but late-arriving ballots—particularly from younger voters and renters—gradually shifted the race. Raman moved ahead late on election night, and her margin continued to grow.
Raman entered the contest in February, surprising the City Hall establishment after appearing likely to finish third in the primary behind reality star Spencer Pratt. She attracted voters dissatisfied with Bass and open to a Democratic alternative, while several fall polls showed her leading. A Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll on Oct. 28, however, found the candidates tied at 40% each.
Bass made public safety central to her campaign, arguing that Raman had opposed police funding and anti-camping zones. Raman countered that Los Angeles needed fresh leadership less constrained by City Hall relationships. She was especially popular among members of the Hollywood community, including Tina Fey, Adam Scott and Mindy Kaling.
Raman joined the Los Angeles City Council in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. She was the first Asian-American woman and first South Asian person to serve on the council, and previously worked as an urban planner. Bass, mayor since 2022, struggled to regain support amid concerns over homelessness, civic disorder and her handling of the 2025 Palisades fire.
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