Nithya Raman has made history by becoming the next mayor of Los Angeles. The India-born Democrat defeated incumbent Karen Bass in a closely contested election. Her victory makes her the first Asian American mayor of Los Angeles.
Raman secured 52.1% of the vote, against Bass’s 47.9%. The latest reported tally gave her 429,450 votes, compared with Bass’s 394,796. This established a victory margin of 34,654 votes, with counting still underway.
Born in Kerala, India, Raman moved to the United States at six. She grew up in Louisiana before eventually settling in Los Angeles in 2013, studying social studies and political theory at Harvard University. She later earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before entering electoral politics, Raman worked in urban planning and community organising. In 2017, she co-founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. The organisation brought volunteers together to support homeless residents through outreach and advocacy.
Raman entered Los Angeles politics in 2020, defeating incumbent councillor David Ryu. She subsequently represented the city’s Fourth Council District. Her mayoral campaign presented her as a progressive alternative to the incumbent administration.
Her campaign focused heavily on affordable housing, homelessness, public transport and neighbourhood infrastructure. She pledged to triple annual housing construction across Los Angeles. Her proposals included expanding affordable housing, social housing and homeless shelters.
Raman also promised a new approach to homelessness through medical outreach and permanent housing. She pledged to halve street homelessness before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Her agenda included improving public transport, repairing roads and streetlights, and strengthening neighbourhood services.
On public safety, Raman pledged to replace Police Chief Jim McDonnell. She criticised his cooperation with federal immigration authorities. She also proposed expanding unarmed patrols and rapid-response teams for vulnerable residents.
Her victory marks a significant political shift in America’s second-largest city. Raman will succeed Bass, who conceded after the election results turned against her. The outcome also makes Raman one of the country’s most prominent Indian-origin political leaders.
