India-Born Nithya Raman Wins Los Angeles Mayor Race

LOS ANGELES: In a result that reshapes the politics of America's second most populous city, India-born Democratic socialist Nithya Raman has ousted incumbent Mayor Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. Bass conceded in a phone call on Thursday, November 5, after the latest figures showed Raman ahead 52% to 48% with about three-quarters of votes counted. The two one-time allies fought a heated race over frustration with the status quo. Raman, the first Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-affiliated member of the Los Angeles City Council, will now lead the entertainment capital as it prepares to host the 2028 Olympics.

US election news: Karen Bass Concedes as Raman Takes the Lead

Bass called Raman on Thursday, November 5, 2026, to concede. The latest figures showed Raman with 52% of the vote to the outgoing mayor's 48%, with about three-quarters of votes counted. NBC Los Angeles also reported Raman's victory. According to an Associated Press report carried by KSL, Bass is the first Los Angeles mayor in two decades to lose a bid for re-election. Raman's campaign focused on housing, public safety and homelessness.

She emphasized hope over the city's prevailing sense of hopelessness, telling the crowd, "You saw hopelessness and you chose hope, because you know that Los Angeles is a city with hope in its soil".

Breaking International News: Who Is Nithya Raman? India-Born Council Member Makes History

Raman gained prominence as the first DSA-affiliated member of the Los Angeles City Council. Outlook India described her win as a historic moment for an India-born politician. American Bazaar reported she is set to become the city's first Indian American mayor. She now takes charge of the nation's second most populous city at a pivotal time, with the 2028 Olympics approaching. She also inherits the voter frustration that fuelled her challenge to a fellow Democrat.

Raman's path to City Hall began in February, when she announced a challenge to Bass, a move that, as NBC reported, shook up the Los Angeles political landscape. Nine months later, that long-shot bid has ended with the incumbent conceding. American Bazaar describes her as a Malayali American, and her win is being closely watched in India as well as in California. What happens next will depend on how she translates a campaign built on frustration with the status quo into governing a city of millions.

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