Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race

Nithya Raman, a progressive urban planner who has served on the Los Angeles city council since 2020, has been elected mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Karen Bass in a result that reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the direction of the city.

The Associated Press called the race on Thursday, with returns showing Raman leading with just over 52% of the vote to Bass's 48%.

Raman's campaign was once viewed as a long shot. She entered the race hours before the filing deadline, shortly after endorsing Bass for re-election, but rose in the polls over the summer with support from the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Her candidacy drew frequent comparisons with Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City.

The contest took place on a historic election night for Democrats nationally, who won control of the House and Senate. The Los Angeles race was different in character: both candidates are progressives, and the campaign became a bitter battle between two generations and frequently clashing wings of the party.

A conciliatory note after a bitter race

In a video statement after her victory, Raman said: "I love this city and I love its people. And I cannot wait to get started on building a better future together with all of you." She also praised Bass as "someone who has given decades of her life to making the city what it is today".

The tone marked a departure from the campaign, in which the two traded sharp criticism over each other's handling of the city's problems.

Bass, who had never previously lost an election, said: "While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken." She said she had called Raman to congratulate her and had committed to a smooth and seamless transition. Bass faced a difficult path to another term, given low approval ratings, frustration among residents about the state of the city and a wave of anti-establishment sentiment in US politics.

The pressures facing Los Angeles

The election came as the city grappled with homelessness, rising costs and housing affordability. The Trump administration's deportation campaign has hit the region hard, Hollywood is struggling, and the city faces a large budget shortfall.

Raman presented herself as the candidate who could "meet this moment with honesty and urgency", promising to lower rents, improve city streets, reduce homelessness and keep residents safe.

She struggled in the primary, where key parts of the city's liberal base and large unions had already aligned with Bass, and was overshadowed by the showy campaign of Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star and registered Republican who ran after losing his home in the Palisades fire. Raman narrowly beat him in the primary before gaining ground.

Her campaign was boosted by the endorsement of the Los Angeles chapter of the DSA, where she is a longtime member, which brought a large network of volunteers knocking on doors. Shortly before the election, the organisation's national leaders considered rescinding the chapter's support until Raman stated her position on the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, but a vote on the matter failed.

Supporters celebrated at an event outside the Greek Theatre on Tuesday night. Max Rico, a high school teacher in South Central Los Angeles who had previously backed Bass, said he was most excited about Raman's positions on affordable housing, saying he had seen students leave mid-year when their families moved to cheaper areas. "Hopefully we can keep more families here," he said.

Source: The Guardian.