Kerala-born Nithya Raman challenges Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race

Kerala-born Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November 3 mayoral runoff. The two candidates are clashing over the city's homelessness crisis, public safety and leadership during emergencies.

Poll Standings

A September poll by the University of California, Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies put Raman at 39 per cent among likely voters. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass stood at 28 per cent, while about 33 per cent of voters remained undecided. The survey was conducted between September 15 and 20 and placed Raman 11 percentage points ahead of Bass.

Background and Career

Nithya Raman was born in Kerala on July 28, 1981, and moved to Louisiana with her family when she was 6 years old. She studied political theory at Harvard University and earned a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She entered electoral politics in 2020 by defeating incumbent City Councilmember David Ryu. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and was re-elected to the City Council in 2024.

Debate Clash

During a recent debate, Raman criticized Bass for her response to the 2025 Palisades fire and questioned the spending on the accommodation crisis. Bass hit back by accusing Raman of being unserious, indecisive and not ready for the top job. If elected, Raman would become the first Indian-American mayor of Los Angeles.

Context

Mayoral elections in large American cities often focus heavily on local issues like housing costs, public safety, and disaster management. Runoffs happen when no candidate wins an outright majority in the initial primary vote, forcing the top two contenders into a final head-to-head election.