Democratic · California
Nithya Raman
Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 4; 2026 candidate for mayor
Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles city councilmember, led incumbent Mayor Karen Bass 51.7% to 48.3% in the Nov. 3, 2026 mayoral runoff as of Wednesday afternoon, with about 67% of expected ballots counted. NBC News says the race is too close to call.
- 2026 race
- Mayor of Los Angeles (nonpartisan runoff)
- Result
- Leading, too close to call: Raman 51.7%, Bass 48.3% (~67% counted, Nov. 4) [Source]
Biography
Raman, an urban planner and self-described Democratic socialist, has represented LA's 4th Council District since 2020, when she unseated incumbent David Ryu; she was reelected in 2024. On the council she has pushed reforms to increase housing supply. She trailed by a few thousand votes when polls closed and moved ahead as later ballots were counted. All 14 of her council colleagues endorsed Bass.
Positions
- Increase housing supply
- Has said she plans to fire LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell (NBC Los Angeles)
Record
- LA City Council, District 4, since 2020
- Reelected 2024
- Advanced from the 2026 primary to face Mayor Karen Bass
Life & background
- She was born in Kerala, India. [Source]
- She holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard and a master's in urban planning from MIT. [Source]
Coverage
People · News
Urban planner, homelessness organizer, maybe mayor: Nithya Raman pulls ahead of Karen Bass in LAThe race is not called. Here's where the count stands and who the challenger is.
Sources
- As Nithya Raman widens lead over Karen Bass, LAPD union warns of 'Armageddon' in LA — NBC Los Angeles
- Nithya Raman – Wikipedia — Wikipedia