Los Angeles mayor race: Nithya Raman ousts incumbent Karen Bass after close contest

Bass concedes the race

Bass said Thursday morning that she had congratulated Raman by phone and thanked supporters and other leaders who assisted her campaign. She also said she would keep working so that the prospect of a better life is available to everyone.

Bass described the contest as her final campaign for elected office. Her public service included more than two decades in office, as a member of Congress and as Los Angeles’ 43rd mayor.

Polls showed a close contest

In the week before the election, 41% of Pratt’s primary voters said they had shifted to Bass, compared with 22% previously. Raman’s backing among those voters dipped from 16% in September to 14% in October, while 45% were still undecided in the newer poll.

Raman’s path to the nomination

Raman entered the mayoral race in February, despite having earlier supported Bass’ reelection effort. During the primary, Raman described her campaign as a “long shot,” before moving ahead of Pratt to meet Bass in the general election.

In 2025, Raman proposed limiting yearly rent hikes for tenants in rent-stabilized buildings constructed before 1978. The motion passed by a 13-2 vote, and she has said she wants to pursue comparable efforts to support small businesses.

A separate statement in the report

The report also includes a post from Caruso saying he would vote for Bass, alongside a quotation about putting the past behind him and focusing on the future. It does not explain the post’s connection to the mayoral contest or how it relates to the projected result.