A fierce battle appears likely for the next mayor's seat in Los Angeles (LA), California. Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member for District 4 who has emerged as a rising star of the West Coast progressive wing, abruptly announced her candidacy, challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass—previously seen as a strong favorite for reelection—for a generational change.
According to the New York Times (NYT), Raman is said to have formalized her run on the 7th (local time), just hours before the filing deadline. Raman said, "I have deep respect for Mayor Bass, but from skyrocketing housing costs to broken streetlights, the city's basic problems are making family life increasingly impossible," adding, "LA has now reached a breaking point."
Raman's entry is seen as causing a major stir because it came right after leading contenders successively dropped out of the primary. Former LA Schools Superintendent Austin Beutner withdrew, citing the death of his 22-year-old daughter, and Rick Caruso, the billionaire real estate developer who lost to Bass in the 2022 election, said he would forgo a run. In addition, even Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes areas hit by wildfires, announced she would not run, shaping the landscape in Bass' favor for reelection.
Mayor Karen Bass is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a senior figure in the Democratic Party, as well as the city's first female mayor, carrying the symbolism of being an LA native. However, her approval ratings plunged after it became known that she was abroad when a major wildfire broke out in the Palisades area in January last year, and she now faces added political pressure amid allegations that she instructed city fire officials to downplay their evaluation of the fire response.
Still, Bass is seeking a turnaround by emphasizing her record in office, having openly clashed with the Donald Trump administration over immigration enforcement and partly improved issues with downtown commerce and public safety. In particular, the number of people living on the streets has fallen for two consecutive years under Bass, which some have called an unprecedented achievement in LA's history.
Even so, Raman is moving to broaden support, fueled by LA's entrenched social problems and residents' anxieties. LA residents have repeatedly voiced ongoing fears as they face a range of issues, including housing costs that have shot through the roof, the city's fiscal burden from a series of large lawsuits, aging infrastructure, and job losses tied to a slowdown in Hollywood production.
Raman is actively leveraging her identity—an immigrant born in India, a mother of twins, and the spouse of TV producer and screenwriter Bali Chandrasekaran—to rally supporters. She said, "This city has given me and my family opportunities beyond imagination," but added, "I fear (LA) will no longer remain a city of opportunity," urging change.
Entering politics as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the largest socialist organization in the United States, Raman consolidated volunteer networks and tenant votes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-racism protests in 2020, and, in an unusual feat, defeated incumbent City Council member David Ryu to win a seat on the LA City Council. At the time, Raman won the most votes in history and succeeded in winning reelection in 2024.
Some say Raman brings to mind New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Both are Americans from immigrant families who followed elite paths after moving to the United States and graduating from prestigious universities. Their affiliation with the DSA wing and their strong interest, rooted in progressive politics, in city home prices and housing supply policy are also cited as common traits.
Meanwhile, with Raman throwing her hat in the ring, analysts say the LA mayoral race is now more likely to head to a November runoff. In this election, a candidate who tops 50% in the June 2 primary is declared the winner; otherwise, the top two advance to a Nov. 3 runoff to determine the final winner.
The Bass camp is showing caution. Douglas Herman, a senior adviser to the Bass campaign, said, "Raman has voted against policies backed by the middle class, including expanding the police academy budget and banning homeless encampments," adding, "What LA needs is a leader who will make the city safer."