Los Angeles has elected Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman as its next mayor, ousting incumbent Karen Bass in a razor-thin victory that marks another major win for the progressive movement in a major U.S. city.
With 100% of precincts reporting Thursday, Raman led Bass 51.6% to 48.3%, flipping control of America’s second-largest city to a councilmember who championed defunding police, resisted homeless encampment sweeps, and helped establish L.A. as a sanctuary city. The upset makes Raman the latest DSA-aligned mayor to claim power in a coastal metropolis after New York City’s Zohran Mamdani won last November.
A Leftward Challenge to a Progressive Icon
Raman mounted an aggressive campaign from Bass’s left flank, despite the incumbent’s own progressive bona fides—including past praise for Communist Party USA leaders and 1970s-era visits with Fidel Castro. The 40-year-old councilwoman framed the race as a referendum on results, telling voters Bass’s decades in public service had failed to deliver tangible improvements for Angelenos.
“I respect very much her long career of public service,” Raman said during the campaign. “But the election has to be about results.”
Bass fired back by portraying Raman as an ineffective ideologue, claiming none of her council colleagues enjoyed working with her. “Each council member had a story to tell about how difficult she was to work with,” Bass said.
Wildfires, Homelessness and a Reality TV Wild Card
The race tightened after June’s jungle primary, where neither candidate cleared 50%. Former reality star Spencer Pratt shocked observers by capturing over 25% of votes—initially appearing to beat Raman before late ballots swung the results. Pratt’s campaign gained traction as he blasted Bass for budget cuts to fire departments weeks before the Pacific Palisades wildfire destroyed his home.
Homelessness also loomed large, with July data showing a 3.4% annual increase in unsheltered residents. Bass acknowledged voter frustration over the crisis, admitting “I have made mistakes” while defending her affordable housing efforts.
Raman’s win continues a trend of DSA candidates capturing urban power centers, though she’ll now face the challenge of governing a city where even allies call her divisive. Her victory speech struck a conciliatory tone, pledging to “build coalitions across our incredible city.”
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-elects-west-coast-mamdani-as-new-mayor