Kerala-born Nithya Raman has made history by winning the Los Angeles mayoral election, becoming the first Indian-American and South Asian to lead America’s second-largest city. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass conceded defeat, congratulated Raman, and committed to ensuring a smooth transfer of leadership.
The latest Los Angeles County election figures, updated at 4:34 p.m. local time, showed Raman securing 460,772 votes, representing 52.70% of the total. Bass received 413,519 votes, or 47.30%, leaving Raman with a lead of 47,253 votes. Although the results were still unofficial as election officials continued counting ballots from Tuesday’s election, Bass’s concession brought the closely watched contest to a decisive conclusion.
Expressing gratitude for the mandate, Raman described her election as a tremendous honor in a post on X. She also acknowledged Bass’s leadership and decades of public service following a conversation between the two leaders.
Reactions to Raman’s victory highlighted both its historic significance and the responsibilities accompanying her new position. Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian congratulated her, drawing parallels between their immigrant backgrounds. He expressed interest in working together on affordability, public transportation, economic pressures facing middle-class families, and retaining entertainment industry employment in the city. He also recognized Bass’s contributions as a legislator, congresswoman, and the city’s first Black woman mayor.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also welcomed Raman’s victory, emphasizing cooperation on public safety. He reiterated that his office would continue handling prosecutions based on evidence and applicable laws.
Raman’s campaign focused on addressing expensive housing, homelessness, and improving municipal services. Her proposals included faster repairs to damaged roads and streetlights, along with changes to policing.
Born in India, Raman moved to the United States with her family at six. She graduated from Harvard University and earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before entering politics, she worked on homelessness initiatives and co-founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition.
Her political journey gained momentum in 2020 when she became the first Asian-American woman and South Asian elected to the Los Angeles City Council. She secured another term in 2024 before winning the city’s mayoral election.
