Kerala-born Nithya Raman surges into Los Angeles mayoral runoff

Indian-American politician Nithya Raman has secured a place in the November runoff for mayor of Los Angeles, setting up a closely watched contest against incumbent Karen Bass and putting her within reach of becoming the first South Asian woman to lead America’s second-largest city.

Raman, a progressive member of the Los Angeles City Council, overtook Republican candidate and reality television personality Spencer Pratt after days of counting mail-in ballots, according to projections reported by multiple US media outlets. The result sets up an unexpected contest between two Democrats and former political allies in a city grappling with homelessness, soaring housing costs, strained public services and lingering frustration over its recovery from last year’s devastating wildfires.

“I’m incredibly honored that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles,” Raman said in a statement after securing her place in the runoff.

“Now our fight for a healthier, safer, more affordable, and more joyful Los Angeles continues.”

From Kerala to California

Raman’s rise carries a notable personal story.

Born in Kerala to a Tamil family, Raman moved to the United States when she was six years old. She later graduated from Harvard University before earning a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Before entering American politics, Raman spent time in India, where she founded Transparent Chennai, a research organisation focused on urban issues including sanitation and the environment. She later returned to the US, worked in city government and became involved in advocacy around homelessness and affordable housing.

Her breakthrough came in 2020 when she defeated an incumbent city council member, becoming the first Asian-American woman and the first South Asian elected to the Los Angeles City Council. She won re-election comfortably in 2024 and has since emerged as one of the city’s most prominent progressive voices.

A campaign built around affordability

Raman’s campaign has focused heavily on affordability, housing and homelessness — issues that have increasingly dominated political debate in Los Angeles.

She has promised to accelerate housing construction, improve city services and create a more effective response to homelessness, which remains one of the city’s most visible challenges.

“What we are doing right now is just not working,” Raman said of the city’s approach to homelessness.

“LA’s primary strategy for homelessness has been to move encampments from one block to another, from your block to your neighbor’s block and back again. It’s political theatre.”

She has also pledged to reduce the number of people living in tents and encampments before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games.

Bass faces a difficult re-election fight

The runoff represents a significant challenge for Bass, who became Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor when she was elected in 2022.

Despite support from major Democratic figures including Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom, Bass finished the primary with less than 35 per cent of the vote, an indication of voter dissatisfaction.

Her administration has faced criticism over homelessness, public services and the city’s response to the catastrophic wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area in 2025. Critics questioned her handling of the crisis after she was abroad when the fires erupted.

Bass’s campaign has already signalled that it intends to challenge Raman aggressively. Campaign strategist Douglas Herman described Raman as someone who “allows encampments near schools and cuts the police force” and said Bass looked forward to the contest.

A city looking for change

Raman’s late surge reflected a broader appetite for change among sections of the electorate.

Mail ballots counted after election day steadily boosted her support and ultimately pushed her ahead of Pratt, whose campaign had attracted attention because of his celebrity status and criticism of city government.

Political analysts say the November contest will test whether Los Angeles voters want to move further left in search of solutions to long-running problems.

“If you’re as frustrated by the broken status quo as I am, I hope you’ll join our movement to build a city that works for everyone,” Raman said. “For too long, City Hall has prioritised giving political advantage to powerful interests that fund elections. Meanwhile, working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services and a city that has stopped working for them.”

If she wins in November, Raman would make history as the first South Asian woman elected mayor of Los Angeles.