Nithya Raman wins LA primary spot to challenge Mayor Karen Bass in November
Synopsis
A Kerala-born Democratic Socialist who once founded a sanitation research group in Chennai is now one step from running America's second-largest city. Nithya Raman's primary win sets up a November showdown with an embattled Karen Bass — and if she wins, both New York and Los Angeles will be led by leftist Democrats of Indian heritage.
Key Takeaways
Nithya Raman secured the second spot in the Los Angeles mayoral open primary, setting up a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass .
As of Monday, 9 June , Bass held 28.6% of the vote; Republican Spencer Pratt had 25.8% , with Raman overtaking him on Sunday.
Bass faced criticism for her handling of LA wildfires in January that destroyed over 12,000 homes and 4,000+ other buildings; her disapproval rating reportedly exceeds 55% .
Raman, 44 , was born in Kerala , educated at Harvard and MIT , and elected to the LA City Council in 2020 .
President Donald Trump , who backed Pratt, alleged on Truth Social that the election was 'Rigged' — claims officials have not substantiated.
Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist and Los Angeles City Council member, has secured the second spot in the city's open mayoral primary, setting up a November runoff against embattled incumbent Mayor Karen Bass — the leader of the second-largest city in the United States. Media projections called the race on Monday, 9 June, nearly a week after the election was held, with official counting still ongoing.
How the Primary Played Out
As of Monday, Bass held 28.6 per cent of the vote, while Republican candidate Spencer Pratt stood at 25.8 per cent. Raman overtook Pratt on Sunday to claim the second runoff berth. Bass had earlier crossed the 34 per cent threshold that initially placed her as the primary's top finisher, though her vote share subsequently shifted as counting continued.
The result means Los Angeles voters will choose in November between Bass and a progressive challenger who built her campaign around affordability, homelessness, and housing costs — the city's most persistent fault lines.
Who Is Nithya Raman
Raman, 44, was born in Kerala to a Tamil family and moved to the United States at the age of six. She holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a master's in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Before entering elected politics, she returned to India to found Transparent Chennai, a research organisation focused on sanitation and environmental issues. Back in the US, she worked for the city before taking up advocacy for the homeless. She was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, riding a progressive wave that now underpins her mayoral run.
Her campaign draws comparisons to that of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, another Democratic Socialist who centred his message on affordability. Should Raman defeat Bass in November, the two largest US cities would both be governed by leftist Democrats of Indian heritage.
Bass Under Pressure
Bass, 76, is a veteran of California politics and a former speaker of the state Assembly. She succeeded Eric Garcetti, who was appointed US Ambassador to India by former President Joe Biden. Her tenure has been defined in large part by her handling of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires that broke out in January last year, destroying more than 12,000 homes and over 4,000 other buildings across the city.
Bass was abroad in Ghana when the fires began, and her administration's response drew sustained criticism over emergency services delays. Some polls put her disapproval rating at over 55 per cent, while only 35 per cent of voters held an unfavourable view of Raman — a gap that Raman's campaign has sought to exploit.
'If you're as frustrated by the broken status quo as I am, I hope you'll join our movement to build a city that works for everyone,' Raman said.
Trump Alleges Election Was Rigged
President Donald Trump, who had backed Pratt, alleged the election was rigged after Raman overtook his preferred candidate. 'No way this could have happened. Rigged Election!' Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday morning — repeating claims about the US electoral system he has made since his defeat in 2020. Officials have not substantiated any irregularities in the Los Angeles primary count.
What Comes Next
The November runoff will pit Bass's incumbency and institutional support against Raman's grassroots progressive coalition. The outcome could reshape the political identity of one of America's most watched cities, and signal whether the Democratic Socialist model — already tested in New York — can take hold in a sprawling, car-dependent metropolis grappling with chronic homelessness and a housing affordability crisis.
Point of View
In a city where incumbency normally provides structural insulation. What mainstream coverage underplays is the Indian-heritage dimension: should Raman win, it would mark a quiet but significant shift in the symbolic geography of American progressive politics, with both coasts' flagship cities led by candidates whose roots trace to the subcontinent. Whether Raman's grassroots coalition can translate a council-district playbook to a city of four million — and whether Democratic Socialist economics land in a city defined by entertainment-industry wealth alongside chronic poverty — remains the real test of November.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nithya Raman and why is she significant in the LA mayoral race?
Nithya Raman is a 44-year-old Democratic Socialist and Los Angeles City Council member who secured the second spot in the city's open mayoral primary, setting up a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Born in Kerala and educated at Harvard and MIT, she is notable as a progressive challenger in the mould of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and a potential second major US city mayor of Indian heritage.
What were the primary results in the Los Angeles mayoral race?
As of Monday, 9 June, Mayor Karen Bass led with 28.6% of the vote, while Republican Spencer Pratt held 25.8%. Raman overtook Pratt on Sunday to claim the second runoff berth, with official counting still ongoing nearly a week after the election.
Why is Karen Bass considered vulnerable heading into the November runoff?
Bass faced intense criticism for her handling of the Los Angeles wildfires that erupted in January, which destroyed more than 12,000 homes and over 4,000 other buildings. She was in Ghana when the fires began, and her administration's emergency response was widely criticised. Some polls put her disapproval rating at over 55%.
What did Donald Trump say about the Los Angeles primary result?
President Donald Trump, who had backed Republican candidate Spencer Pratt, posted on Truth Social on Monday alleging the election was 'Rigged' after Raman overtook Pratt. Officials have not substantiated any irregularities in the ongoing count.
What is the significance of Raman potentially winning the November election?
If Raman defeats Bass in November, both Los Angeles and New York — the two largest US cities — would be led by leftist Democrats of Indian heritage, with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani already in office. It would also mark a major victory for the Democratic Socialist movement at the municipal level.
