Who is Nithya Raman? Indian-origin leader wins Los Angeles mayoral race, dethrones Karen Bass in historic upset
Raman entered the mayoral race in February, challenging Bass, whom she had publicly supported just weeks earlier.
PTC News Desk: Indian-origin city council member Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, securing a major win in the United States’ second-most populous city.
Raman was first elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020. She entered the mayoral race in February, challenging Bass, whom she had publicly supported just weeks earlier. The contest became a generational and political clash, with both candidates offering different plans for public safety, affordable housing and homelessness.
Bass was backed by much of the city’s political establishment, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and the county’s Democratic Party. Raman received support from groups that have become more influential at City Hall in recent years, including the Democratic Socialists of America and transport advocacy group Streets For All.
In the final days of the campaign, the candidates took different approaches. Bass focused on older voters, visiting senior centres in West Adams and Northridge, where she danced with residents.
Both candidates also received significant financial support from outside political groups after the June primary.
Homelessness, public safety and affordable housing were key concerns for voters. A poll conducted by Berkeley IGS and the Los Angeles Times from October 19 to 25 found that about 40 per cent of likely voters wanted the next mayor to focus on reducing homeless encampments. Around 30 per cent named public safety and building more affordable housing as major priorities.
At an election-night gathering at the Greek Theatre plaza on Tuesday, Raman did not declare victory and urged supporters to remain cautious.
“I’m hopeful. I’m very hopeful,” she told the crowd. “I’m also really superstitious. So we’re all just going to be cool, OK? Very cool.”
Who is Nithya Raman?
Raman was born in Kerala in 1981 and moved to the United States at the age of six. She became a US citizen when she was 22. She graduated from Harvard University and later earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before entering politics, Raman founded Transparent Chennai, an urban research organisation working to improve sanitation and civic services. After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, she worked with the city’s municipal administrative officer, helped establish the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition and served as executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment.
Her projected lead over Bass marks a major development in the race to lead Los Angeles. The final result will depend on the completion of vote counting.