Nithya Raman launches LA mayoral runoff campaign with sharp attack on Mayor Karen Bass
Nithya Raman launches campaign against Mayor Bass
With both candidates maintaining comfortable positions to advance from last week's primary election, Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman Wednesday are focused on the next phase of the race after launching their respective campaigns.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman on Wednesday launched her mayoral runoff campaign, framing herself as a vote for change while accusing incumbent Mayor Karen Bass of alienating Angelenos and failing to protect Hollywood jobs.
What we know:
Raman officially advanced to the mayoral runoff, securing a second-place finish in the primary despite being heavily outpaced in fundraising and key political endorsements.
In her first official press conference of the runoff cycle, Raman heavily criticized Mayor Bass, arguing that two-thirds of primary voters actively cast ballots against the incumbent.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LA mayor's race: Incumbent Karen Bass to face Nithya Raman in runoff, AP projects
To combat economic issues, Raman pledged to implement new tax credits aimed at retaining film and television industry jobs, noting her husband is a TV writer and accusing Bass of inactivity as Hollywood jobs fled the region.
Raman also promised to maintain LAPD staffing levels—calling it a realistic approach for a department struggling with recruitment—and vowed to completely end street homelessness.
Addressing her political identity, Raman acknowledged her past alignment with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), stating she is not hiding her affiliation but pointing skeptics to her legislative delivery record in her council district.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how voters who backed Spencer Pratt in the primary will swing in the runoff election.
While Raman is trying to win them over by sharing their frustrations, Pratt's ideological base may not naturally align with Raman's progressive platform.
It's also unclear how Raman plans to successfully pass her agenda if elected, given that a majority of her current City Council colleagues—including fellow progressives—chose to endorse Mayor Bass over her.
What they're saying:
Raman directly addressed the frustrations driving local voters, specifically referencing the support garnered by her former primary opponent.
"I think Spencer Pratt tapped into very real frustrations that people are facing here in this city. I think they're looking at a city that has failed in some of the most basic functions and is still asking us to trust the city on solving even more complicated things like homelessness, like our affordable housing crisis."
She also questioned the status quo of the local political system.
"Two-thirds of the city's primary voters voted against the Democratic Party's candidate for mayor... And I think when that kind of outcome happens I think we have to ask are we picking the right people through the party system to lead."
What's next:
The race shifts into a high-stakes head-to-head matchup between Bass and Raman.
Observers will be watching to see if Raman can successfully win over more moderate or conservative voters who voted against Bass in the primary, and whether Mayor Bass alters her campaign strategy to defend her record against an aggressive progressive challenge from her left.
The Source
This report is based directly on on-the-scene broadcast reporting from Fox 11 Los Angeles journalists Christine Devine, Phil Shuman, and studio reporter Christopher Harder. The information was gathered firsthand during Nithya Raman’s live press conference in Los Angeles, capturing verbatim audio statements from the candidate alongside local political analysis of the mayoral race.
The Source: This report is based on information gathered during Nithya Raman's live press conference in Los Angeles alongside local political analysis of the mayoral race.