Nithya Raman Surges Past Karen Bass to Become Los Angeles Mayor

Los Angeles is making history once again, as Councilmember Nithya Raman has been elected as the city’s first democratic socialist mayor.

Raman defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, securing a historic victory and becoming the city’s 44th mayor. She will also become the second woman in a row elected to lead the nation’s second most populous city.

Bass conceded the race Thursday morning after calling Raman to congratulate her, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The announcement came following the latest ballot count, which showed Raman maintaining a significant lead over Bass.

According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Raman received 429,450 votes, representing 52.10% of the ballots, compared to Bass’ 394,796 votes, or 47.90%.

Approximately 76% of the expected votes had been counted as of Thursday morning.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Raman expressed gratitude to Los Angeles voters and acknowledged Bass’ years of service to the city.

“I just spoke with Mayor Bass and expressed my deepest gratitude for her leadership and decades of service. Los Angeles would not be the city it is today without her,” she wrote.

“I love this city. I believe in its people. The work ahead will be hard, and change will take time. And together, we are going to build a future as extraordinary as the city we call home,” Raman continued.

Bass addressed her loss in an Instagram post, reflecting on her time as mayor and thanking Angelenos for giving her the opportunity to serve.

“Four years ago, you elected me as the first Black woman mayor in the history of Los Angeles. You gave me the honor of serving the city that raised me, and every single day since, I have carried that responsibility with me,” Bass wrote. “I want to start by saying thank you.”

As previously reported, in 2022 former congresswoman Bass made history when she ran against real estate developer Rick Caruso, becoming only the second Black mayor of L.A. after the late Tom Bradley, who served from 1973 to 1993.

Raman, an immigrant born in Kerala, India, currently serves on the Los Angeles City Council after winning her seat in 2020. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, she campaigned on issues including affordable housing, homelessness and public safety.