A major shake-up has occurred in the race for Los Angeles mayor. In a surprise move, a longtime ally of Mayor Karen Bass filed papers at the eleventh hour to run for the city’s top office.
Councilmember Nithya Raman, who represents the 4th District — covering Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and stretching to Reseda in the San Fernando Valley — had given no public indication that she was considering a mayoral run. In fact, the 44-year-old Democrat and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has long been an ally of Bass, who is seeking reelection. As recently as last month, the Harvard University and M.I.T.-educated Raman endorsed Bass for a second term. As a member of the DSA, if she wins, she could join New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as the leader of the one of the two largest cities in the U.S. Her sudden entry into the race signals a change of heart amid renewed criticism of the mayor over her handling of the disastrous Palisades Fire.
For more than a year, Bass has faced mounting scrutiny for decisions made during what became the city’s largest disaster on record. The Palisades Fire destroyed thousands of homes across Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu, and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. During the crisis, Bass was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana — approximately 7,500 miles away — despite pledging during her first campaign that she would remain close to Los Angeles and never leave the country while in office. By the time she returned, evacuation plans in Pacific Palisades were reportedly lacking, a key reservoir was out of service, fire hydrants had run dry, and entire neighborhoods had burned.
In the aftermath, Bass fired Fire Chief Kristen Crowley, claiming Crowley failed to warn her of the imminent fire risk despite forecasts of powerful winds in the days leading up to the blaze. Additional criticism followed Bass’s appointment of Steve Soberoff as the city’s rebuild czar. Soberoff’s 90-day tenure drew backlash due to his initially reported $567,000 salary, which he later waived after public outcry.
Scrutiny intensified last week when the Los Angeles Times reported that Bass had ordered the Los Angeles Fire Department to edit its after-action report on the fire. The allegations include downplaying the lack of pre-deployed fire crews during extreme fire danger and minimizing the significance of the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1, 2025, now believed to have been the ignition source of the deadly Palisades Fire. Bass has strongly denied ordering any changes to the report.
Raman’s last-minute entry into the mayoral race also follows a turbulent week leading up to the Feb. 7 filing deadline. Just days earlier, Bass’s most prominent challenger, former Los Angeles schools superintendent Austin Beutner, withdrew from the race following the death of his 22-year-old daughter, Emily. Her body was found along a highway in Palmdale, with authorities initially stating she appeared to have suffered a medical emergency. Her death is now being investigated as a possible homicide. In announcing his withdrawal, Beutner said he was grieving and emphasized that “family always comes first for me.”
The volatility continued when former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso briefly reconsidered another run, despite having announced a week earlier that he would not seek the mayoralty or the governorship of California — both offices the billionaire businessman has previously contemplated.
Another potential contender, Third District County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, also opted out of the race. Horvath, who represents Malibu and has been an outspoken critic of Bass, announced on Feb. 6 — just one day before the filing deadline — that she would not run for mayor. While she reaffirmed her commitment to representing the county, she reiterated her belief that Los Angeles needs bold, new leadership.
Bass now faces a crowded field of roughly 40 challengers, most of whom are relatively unknown. Higher-profile candidates include reality television personality Spencer Pratt, a Republican who lost his home in the Palisades Fire and has been a vocal critic of Bass; Democratic socialist Rae Huang; and Democratic tech entrepreneur Adam Miller.
The 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election will be held on June 2. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff election will take place on Nov. 3.
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