Raman projected to win
Nithya Raman is projected to win the Los Angeles mayor’s race, ousting incumbent Karen Bass, according to Decision Desk HQ and Bloomberg Government News. The race was called Wednesday evening with Raman leading by about 26,000 votes, roughly 3 percent, out of 784,262 votes cast, per Decision Desk HQ.
Raman was projected to be the 44th mayor of Los Angeles, unseating incumbent Karen Bass. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Raman at around 5:30 p.m. local time Wednesday, after Raman surged into a comfortable lead of 25,000 votes, or about 3.3%, as of Wednesday evening.
What some reports left out
Airbnb spent millions to support Bass
Not found in 6 outletsView outletsHide outletsAP NewsThe Hollywood ReporterThe HillBloomberg Government NewsVanity FairThe Forward
Race called1 of 5 outlets reported it · not in AP News and 3 more▾
Rows of folding chairs and tents on a lawn, city hall behindLos Angeles · 6 October 2012 · Archive photoPhoto: Levi Clancy, CC BY-SA 4.0Jewish leaders weigh in
Rabbi Noah Farkas, chief executive of Jewish Federation Los Angeles, told the Forward that he won’t pretend there isn’t real hurt and said, “Raman’s words on Israel during the campaign strained trust with many in our community, and we’ve told her so.” Brooke Wirtschafter, executive director of Jewish Partnership for Los Angeles, said in a statement, “We have had the honor of getting to know Nithya as a councilmember and ally to Jewish Angelenos, and we look forward to continuing to work with her for the well-being of our city,” according to The Forward.
Raman called the war in Gaza a genocide and Israel an apartheid state during an interview with Hasan Piker during the primary. Raman defeated Bass after the two advanced from the June 2 nonpartisan jungle primary, ousting former reality TV star Spencer Pratt from the race.
What the next mayor faces
Raman’s projected win would end Bass’ tenure after four years marked by devastating wildfires, Hollywood job losses and persistent doubts about whether City Hall could deliver on its most basic promises. Bass’ signature homelessness program, Inside Safe, has cost the city over $300 million to house 6,000 Angelenos, 40 percent of whom returned to the streets.
Ends Bass tenure4 of 6 outlets reported it · not in AP News and 1 more▾
Bass’ various endorsers took to the stage ahead of her speech, and Yvonne Wheeler of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor asked, “So who do you believe understands the importance of working people and organized labor?” Raman focused her campaign on fallout from 2025’s devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, homelessness, reform of the Los Angeles Police Department and affordable housing, and what she would do differently.