Nithya Raman projected to defeat Karen Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race

Nithya Raman has been projected to defeat incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, leading by roughly three percentage points as ballots continue to be counted. Raman, a City Council member and urban planner, is set to become Los Angeles’ first Asian American mayor and only the second woman elected to the citywide office. Her campaign drew young voters with promises focused on affordability, housing and city services, while Bass faced voter frustration over the Palisades wildfire response, homelessness and other municipal problems. Raman criticized aspects of the city’s preparations for the 2028 Olympics, raising questions about how her administration may approach the Games and related spending. The contest also featured competing political support: Raman ran as a progressive outsider, while Bass received backing from the police union and Airbnb.