India-born democratic socialist Nithya Raman becomes LA mayor, ousting Karen Bass

India-born Democratic socialist Nithya Raman ousted incumbent Democrat Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles, ending a heated race that saw the one-time allies spar over frustration with the status quo.

Bass called Raman on Thursday to concede, after the latest numbers showed Raman with 52 per cent of the vote against the outgoing mayor’s 48 per cent, with three-quarters of votes counted.

Raman, 45, campaigned in the nation’s second-largest city on a platform of “pothole politics” – dubbing broken street lights and jagged pavements as failures of her predecessor’s leadership – while harnessing the anger of younger voters over affordability.

Her victory is yet another in the win column for candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, who have propelled a cadre of left-wing leaders into office in cities across the country as well as Congress.

Bass, 73, was elected in 2022 as the first black woman mayor in Los Angeles history, and entered the role with decades of state and federal government experience.

But her term was riddled with disaster. She was haunted by her handling of deadly wildfires in 2025, which erupted while she was travelling for the Biden administration.

“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken,” Bass said in a statement.

“I have called Councilmember Nithya Raman to congratulate her on her victory, and I have committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition. Moving this city forward is what Los Angeles needs from all of us.”

Raman, who previously served as a city council member, will now helm Los Angeles as it prepares to host the 2028 Olympics.