Raman advances to runoff against Bass in Los Angeles mayoral race
10 reported2 unconfirmed
Progressive Los Angeles city council member Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, according to a report from the Associated Press. The matchup between the two Democrats and former political allies was described as unexpected. Republican and former reality television personality Spencer Pratt, who had drawn national attention, was eliminated from the race. Raman made a last-minute entry after initially endorsing Bass for reelection. The election will test whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further left to address homelessness, infrastructure problems, and rising housing costs. Bass is the first Black woman to hold the mayor’s post, and Raman could become the first South Asian woman in the job. The mayoral race was technically nonpartisan, with candidates appearing on the ballot without party identification.
What’s reported
Progressive city council member Nithya Raman advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former reality television personality, was eliminated from the race.
Raman made a last-minute entry into the race after she had endorsed Bass for reelection.
Raman was elected to the council with support from the Democratic Socialists of America.
Bass is the first Black woman to hold the mayor’s post; Raman could be the first South Asian woman in the job.
Bass received under 35% of the vote according to incomplete returns.
Raman gained votes on Pratt in every vote update since Election Day, moving into second place on Sunday and extending her lead to nearly 22,000 votes by Monday.
Raman has opposed efforts to prohibit homeless people from setting up tents within 500 feet of schools and daycare centers but later said she would not block no-camping zones if elected mayor.
Raman once posted “defund the police” on social media in 2020 and did not support the mayor’s 2023 police contract; she later said the LAPD should remain at its current size of about 8,600.
The police union has called Raman “Flip Floppin’ Raman” in ads.
Open questions
It is not yet clear whether Raman can expand beyond her ideological base to win the runoff.
The article does not specify the exact date of the November runoff.
Key figures
Nithya Raman: Progressive Los Angeles city council member and mayoral candidate
Karen Bass: Incumbent Los Angeles Mayor
Spencer Pratt: Republican and former reality television personality, eliminated from the race
Douglas Herman: Bass campaign strategist
Bill Carrick: Democratic consultant
Tanika Vickers: Los Angeles housing nonprofit worker and Raman voter
Xavier Becerra: Democrat who advanced to the general election in the California governor’s race
Steve Hilton: Republican candidate in the California governor’s race
Tom Steyer: Democratic candidate in the California governor’s race
Sources: abcnews.com
