Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist similar to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is set to compete against incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in the upcoming November election for leadership of the second-largest US city. Raman secured the second position in the primary election, surpassing Republican candidate Spencer Pratt, and is now poised to face Democrat Bass in a runoff, as per media projections.
Raman, aligning with Mamdani’s approach, prioritizes affordability for the majority in Hollywood, emphasizing grassroots Democratic Socialist values in her campaign. If successful in November, both of the largest US cities would be led by leftist Democrats of Indian descent. With Bass facing disapproval rates exceeding 55%, Raman holds a more favorable rating with only 35% of voters viewing her negatively.
Born in Kerala to a Tamil family, 44-year-old Raman moved to the US at a young age, later earning degrees from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her background includes founding Transparent Chennai, an organization focusing on sanitation and environmental issues in India, before returning to the US to advocate for the homeless. Elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, Raman’s mayoral candidacy builds on a platform of progressivism.
Bass, a 76-year-old California political veteran, previously served as the state Assembly speaker, succeeding Eric Garcetti as Los Angeles Mayor. Criticized for her response to wildfires that ravaged the city, Bass faced challenges with housing costs, homelessness, and emergency service delays. Raman aims to address these issues, emphasizing the need for a city that caters to all residents.
