Nithya Raman defeats Mayor Karen Bass to win Los Angeles mayoral election

Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and will be the city's next mayor. The Associated Press called the race for Raman on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Bass called Raman the same day to concede and congratulate her, and committed to a smooth transition.

With about three-quarters of votes counted, Raman had about 52% and Bass about 48%. According to El País, Raman led by about 35,000 votes out of 824,000 counted on Thursday morning. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include final or certified totals, turnout figures or the date Raman will take office.

Both candidates are Democrats. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed Raman, 45, who was born in India and has worked as an urban planner. She will be the city's first South Asian mayor and, according to El País, its second woman mayor. Raman initially supported Bass's re-election, then entered the race shortly before the filing deadline.

Bass had not lost an election before this race. According to Al Jazeera, she is the first Los Angeles mayor in more than two decades to lose a re-election bid.

Raman's campaign focused on issues including housing, homelessness and city services. Bass faced criticism over homelessness and over her handling of the 2025 wildfires, which began while she was away from Los Angeles. According to El País, Raman gained ground with voters by explaining her ideas in simple terms and focusing on everyday concerns such as street maintenance, pollution and taxes.

Los Angeles, the second most populous US city, is due to host the 2028 Olympic Games during Raman's term.

What is disputed

• Campaign timing: Al Jazeera reports that Raman entered the race in February, hours before the filing deadline. El País reports that she launched her primary campaign in the summer.
• Whether the result was a surprise: The BBC describes Raman as a long-shot candidate whose win stunned political watchers in California. El País reports that polls had projected her as the winner for several weeks and that her win matched most forecasts.
• Bass's historic first: Al Jazeera and The Hindu describe her as the city's first Black woman mayor. The BBC describes her as its first Black mayor.

What each side says

Raman said in a social media statement quoted by The Hindu: "I’m deeply honored to be your next mayor." According to Al Jazeera, she pledged to expand affordable housing, improve neglected city services and take a different approach to homelessness.

Bass said in a statement quoted by The Hindu: "While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken."

US President Donald Trump, asked at the White House about wins by politicians on the Democratic Party's left flank, said: "If you go by history, it's going to be a disaster," according to the BBC.

Analysis

Raman's win places a DSA-backed Democrat at the head of a major US city that is preparing to host the 2028 Olympic Games. Its wider meaning remains unclear: the BBC says her support came especially from younger voters, but the reports reviewed by Vocemundi offer no detailed breakdown of how specific groups voted, and the count was incomplete when Bass conceded. Her ability to deliver on housing and homelessness could depend on funding and on working relationships at City Hall. The reports do not include costs or funding plans for her pledges. Supporters and critics are likely to judge the result differently.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.