HighLights
  1. Nithya Raman wins Los Angeles mayoral race, defeats incumbent Karen Bass.
  2. With her victory, Raman becomes first Asian-American mayor and second woman in history.
  3. Raman's campaign focused on local issues, addressing city services.

Democrat Nithya Raman has won the Los Angeles mayoral race, defeating incumbent mayor Karen Bass. The Decision Desk HQ on Thursday projected Raman as the winner, stating that she received 51.1 per cent of the votes, while Bass secured 48.33 per cent. With this victory, Raman is set to become Los Angeles' first Asian-American mayor and only the second woman to hold the city's top elected position. Her win also marks a major change in the city's political leadership.

How Did Nithya Raman Win?

Raman had entered the mayoral race at the last minute to challenge Bass. Her decision had surprised many as she had supported Bass's re-election just weeks earlier. Despite the late entry, she built her campaign around local issues and gained support through a strategy similar to other candidates linked to the democratic socialist movement. Several issues worked in favour of Raman, as Bass’ term as mayor was marked by criticism over the devastating Palisades wildfire, rising homelessness, the loss of Hollywood jobs and problems with basic city services. These issues added to public dissatisfaction and helped Raman gain support.

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Who Is Nithya Raman?

Nithya V Raman was born on July 28, 1981, in Kerala, India, into a Tamil Iyer family. Her family moved to the US when she was six, first settling in Louisiana and later in Massachusetts. She studied at Harvard University, where she earned a degree in Social Studies, and later completed a master's degree in urban planning from MIT. Before entering politics, she worked on urban development and homelessness-related issues.

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She also founded Transparent Chennai, a research initiative focused on improving sanitation, and later started the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition in Los Angeles. She was first elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020 and won re-election in 2024. Her work has focused on housing, homelessness, and improving city services.

Indian-Origin Mayors In US

With her win, Raman has become another Indian-origin politician to lead a major US city. She joins leaders such as Zohran Mamdani (Mayor of New York City), Aftab Pureval (Mayor of Cincinnati), Sam Joshi (Mayor of Edison) and Danny Avula (Mayor of Richmond), who also have Indian or South Asian roots.

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