Nithya Raman projected to defeat Karen Bass in LA mayoral race

politicsNov 5, 2026261,193

NBC News projects City Council member Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, ending Bass’s one-term tenure. Raman, 45, described in reporting as a democratic socialist and affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, ran on criticism of City Hall’s handling of homelessness and rising housing costs. Bass, a former six-term congresswoman, faced intense scrutiny over her response to a January 2025 Pacific Palisades wildfire that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 12 people while she was abroad. The candidates also clashed over Israel’s war in Gaza; Raman said she agreed with a left-wing influencer that Israel had committed genocide, a label Bass rejected. Raman, a former urban planner born in India who attended Harvard and MIT, represents a council district spanning the San Fernando Valley to the Santa Monica Mountains. She initially endorsed Bass earlier in the year before launching a last-minute mayoral bid and had advanced from the June 2 primary alongside Bass, beating reality TV figure Spencer Pratt for the runoff. Raman’s incoming term will intersect with preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a major test of the city’s infrastructure, transit, and security systems.

Nithya Raman

@nithyaforthecity.bsky.social

Los Angeles, I am deeply honored to be your next mayor. I spoke to Mayor Bass and thanked her for decades of service that changed our city for the better. I love this city and its people. Change takes time, but together, we’ll build a future as extraordinary as LA. Thank you, LA.

9591h ago

Cutter W. González4

Amazing week. Congrats on your win! 💙

Vanii✨2

Just follow what Mamdani is doing and you will be a good mayor. Congratulations🪷

JC2

Congratulations Madam Mayor elect on your Victory. Best wishes 💙🙏

Sage 🇵🇸 🇺🇸✊🇫🇷✊1

Thank you to the people of Los Angeles for voting for Nithya Raman. Los Angeles is a beautiful and amazing city like NYC.

Oren Ben-Joseph1

Congratulations Mayor-elect Raman! Looking forward to working together at Metro and moving transit forward in the region.

Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles1

There is so much to fix, and we hope you'll look quickly to Olvera Street, which is suffering from a vacant La Golondrina, overspending on large events that don't justify the cost and Jorge the Burro threatened with eviction because the City screwed up...

Quoting this

Coach Finstock161

I got goosebumps man we fucking did it LA

Andrew Ti10

Holy shit the blue wave made it to LA.

Joe Spreadsheet4

so many good things are happening right now

Babad🦃🦃kakis3

ONE MILLION HIGH RISES. MID-WILSHIRE SHALL LOOK LIKE SHINJUKU

Lila Byock3

My friend is gonna be the mayor. This week is surreal.

Steve Boland2

When I lived in LA (2014-18), I wrote a piece for a local publication saying, basically, that LA politicians talk a good game on urbanist issues but always wimp out in the end. I am hopeful that will finally change

Julia Child Support 🔜 FurPoc2

So amazingly happy for my LA friends.

merriam 🇰🇳2

That's NYC, Seattle, Washington D.C., and now L.A. under DSA endorsed mayoral candidates

California YIMBY

@cayimby.bsky.social

Congratulations to Nithya Raman on winning LA’s mayoral race. She has said, “Yes, I’m a YIMBY,” and ran on a plan to build more housing. Her win in California’s largest city is a big moment for the pro-housing movement.

411h ago

NOH8 Campaign

@noh8campaign.bsky.social

BREAKING: Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass to become the first South Asian mayor of Los Angeles. Born in Kerala, India, and raised in the United States, Raman's victory brings historic South Asian representation to the leadership of one of America's largest cities #NOH8

241h ago

Godspeed You! Woke Moralists

@dashwallkick.bsky.social

Still legitimately kind of in shock. She's DSA endorsed. And she's the mayor now. Of *Los Angeles*. Raman as LA mayor now has more constituents in her control than the entire state of Montana, *twice over.*

191h ago

James “Vamp” Fleet

@horrorfilms101.bsky.social

Bass has conceded, Raman has gone from a last-minute third place longshot nibbling at the heels of presumptive opponent Spencer Pratt to the next mayor of LA, and that’s pretty neat.

152h ago

Canadian Hammer 🇨🇦 🔨

@canadianhammer.bsky.social

New York City AND Los Angeles now have PROGRESSIVE leftist South Asian mayors! Congrats to Nithya Raman!

123h ago

Mohave County Indivisible

@mohaveindv.bsky.social

JUST IN: Nithya Raman has WON the Los Angeles mayoral race, defeating incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

121h ago

Nature Lover

@naturehorizon.bsky.social

Breaking Democrat Nithya Raman wins election to become the next Los Angeles mayor

121h ago

Evan Minto

@evanminto.com

Sure AOC can win in a blue district but try that citywide Zohran can win in NYC but try that in any other city Socialists can be mayor in Seattle, DC, and LA but try that in a swing state A Muslim anti-Zionist M4A progressive can win in Michigan but try that nationwide See ya in 2028 😘

122h ago

Phantomframe

@phantomframe.bsky.social

www.latimes.com/california/s... I voted for her and hope she can make a difference in a city that's hurting right now.

71h ago

Red Riccardo

@redriccardo.bsky.social

Democratic socialist Nithya Raman will defeat Karen Bass in LA mayor’s race, CNN projects

83h ago

br00t4c

@br00t4c.bsky.social

Democratic socialist Nithya Raman wins Los Angeles mayoral race over incumbent Karen Bass Major shake-up as LA councilmember, once considered long shot, ousts Democratic rival she had once endorsed California loooove 🔥🔥🔥🔥💪🏽 www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

81h ago

Jesse Coffey #WeEndedFascismin2026

@therealjessecoffey.bsky.social

BRIEF COMMENT YIPPEE! NOW THE WEST COAST CAN HAVE ITS OWN VERSION OF ZOHRAN MAMDANI! Congratulations, Nithya Raman, on becoming the next Mayor of Los Angeles. And Angelinos, do not EVER allow someone like Spencer Pratt to run for that seat ever again after this.

81h ago

Julianne McShane

@juliannemcshane.bsky.social

❗NEW @ms.now: It’s official: Nithya Raman is the next mayor of LA, ousting incumbent Karen Bass in an upset. 🌴 Her election means the country’s biggest two cities will now be run by millennial members of the Democratic Socialists of America. 🗳️

82h ago

Yonette Joseph

@sugarcane99.bsky.social

Karen Bass is out as LA mayor. Bass concedes to challenger Nithya Raman. www.washingtonpost.com/elections/re...

52h ago

3 sources

nbcnews.comDemocratic socialist Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayor’s race smartnews.comSocialist Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass in for battle for LA mayor (California Post)commondreams.orgDemocratic Socialist Nithya Raman Projected to Win Los Angeles Mayoral Race | Common Dreams

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Nithya Raman projected to defeat Karen Bass in LA mayoral race

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