US midterm election result: Los Angeles gets an Indian-origin mayor; Nithya Raman wins against Karen Bass

Indian-origin politician Nithya Raman has taken the lead over incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral election, putting her in contention to become the city's next mayor. If confirmed, Raman's victory would mark a significant milestone for the Indian-American community, giving her leadership of the second-most populous city in the United States.

Raman, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, was leading with 51.67 per cent of the vote against Bass's 48.33 per cent, according to the latest figures available from the Los Angeles County election office on Wednesday. The count stood at 405,193 votes for Raman and 379,069 for Bass. However, the result had not yet been officially called, with ballot counting continuing.

The contest brought together two Democrats who were once political allies but differed over their approaches to homelessness, public safety and affordable housing.


Bass received support from prominent Democrats and established political organisations, including Governor Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi. Raman, meanwhile, drew backing from progressive organisations, including the Democratic Socialists of America and transportation advocacy group Streets For All.

The election became particularly competitive after Bass received only 34 per cent of the vote in the June primary. Her administration faced criticism over its handling of the January 2025 Palisades fire, which broke out while she was abroad on a diplomatic mission. Bass defended her record, pointing to progress in reducing violent crime, expanding affordable housing and tackling homelessness.

Raman criticised the mayor's homelessness programme, arguing that it was expensive and ineffective. She promised to halve street homelessness by the 2028 Summer Olympics and eliminate it by the end of her first four-year term.

Background and political career

Born in Kerala in 1981, Raman moved to the US with her family when she was six. She became a US citizen at 22. She graduated from Harvard University and subsequently earned a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Before entering electoral politics, Raman worked on urban development and civic issues in India. She founded Transparent Chennai, an initiative that used research, mapping and data to highlight problems faced by underserved communities, including access to sanitation and basic services.

After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, she worked with the city's administration and became involved in homelessness outreach. She co-founded the SELAH Neighbourhood Homeless Coalition and later served as executive director of Time's Up Entertainment, an organisation associated with the movement against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

Raman entered electoral politics in 2020, defeating incumbent David Ryu to represent Los Angeles' Fourth Council District. She became the first South Asian woman elected to the city's council and won re-election in 2024. Her work has included housing reforms, tenant protections, homelessness programmes and neighbourhood services.