Los Angeles has a new mayor, and it’s the first time in two decades that an incumbent has been voted out of City Hall. Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman defeated Mayor Karen Bass in a race that stayed razor-close through election night before tipping decisively in Raman’s favor as late ballots were counted.
Raman was spotted in public for the first time since her win on Thursday, traveling from her home to a combined yoga studio and workspace in downtown LA. In a video statement, she thanked her supporters directly.
“Los Angeles, I’m deeply honored to be your next mayor. Thank you to the thousands of people who knocked on doors, sent texts, made phone calls, convinced their neighbors to believe in the promise of this big, beautiful, joyful city that we get to call home.”
Bass conceded just before midday Thursday.
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the people of Los Angeles have spoken. I have called Council member Nithya Raman to congratulate her on her victory, and I have committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition. Moving this city forward is what Los Angeles needs from all of us.”
Bass, who became the first Black woman to serve as Los Angeles mayor four years ago, added: “Four years ago, you elected as the first Black woman mayor in the history of Los Angeles. You gave me the honor of serving the city that raised me, and every single day since, I have carried that responsibility with me. I love Los Angeles. I believe in Los Angeles. And I will continue to ensure the promise of a better life belongs to all of us. Thank you.”
First Incumbent Loss Since 2005
Raman’s win marks the first time a sitting LA mayor has lost reelection since 2005, when then-City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa beat incumbent James K. Hahn. Raman, who serves on the City Council, repeated that feat two decades later.
City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, who served alongside Raman, congratulated her while also praising Bass’s record. “Los Angeles faces enormous challenges and opportunities,” Yaroslavsky said. “Meeting them will require all of us working together. Angelenos deserve nothing less. I look forward to working with the mayor-elect and my colleagues on the City Council to make housing more affordable, strengthen our neighborhoods, and make City Hall more effective, transparent and accountable.”
Police Union Signals Wary Détente
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which backed Bass and spent millions opposing Raman, said its president, Ricky Mendoza, has already reached out to the mayor-elect to open a dialogue. The union’s statement made clear its members are bracing for a fight over department staffing.
“Los Angeles police officers and others are filled with uncertainty and angst at the prospect of major cuts to the LAPD that will reverse the progress made in reducing crime. Mayor-elect Raman has stated that she does not want staffing levels to decrease from current levels, we share that goal and are committed to ensuring enough officers remain to keep our residents, the Olympics and our officers safe.”
The union also thanked Bass for her decades of public service.
A Tight Race That Broke Late
Bass held a narrow lead when initial early-voting results came in Tuesday night, but Raman pulled ahead as ballots cast closer to or on Election Day were tallied, and her margin grew with each subsequent batch. As of Thursday morning, more than 700,000 ballots remained uncounted countywide, though it was unclear how many came from Los Angeles city voters.
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and released last week, had the two candidates tied at 40% among likely voters, with 19% undecided. Bass had closed a gap that stood at 11 points in Raman’s favor back in September.
In the campaign’s final stretch, Bass and allied political action committees hammered Raman’s public-safety record, including her call to remove LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, and cast her as inexperienced. Raman drew criticism after saying the LAPD was at a “gold standard” under former Chief Daryl Gates, an infamous figure tied to the department’s most controversial era. She later apologized, saying she had meant to reference Special Order 40, the policy limiting city police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Raman campaigned on fixing what she called a “broken city” under Bass, attacking a billion-dollar police salary agreement and the rising cost of a downtown convention center modernization project. Bass had sought a second term to continue work on homelessness, housing affordability and public safety, the same issues that defined her clashes with Raman throughout the race.
