Two Democrats, incumbent Karen Bass and City Council member Nithya Raman, are set to face off in November to determine who will become mayor of Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the United States. Voters will decide whether to give Bass, a liberal incumbent, another term or choose Raman, a progressive rising star, after two years marked by deadly wildfires, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, and skyrocketing housing costs.
Bass Faces Tough Reelection Fight
Bass now faces her most challenging political battle yet. Public opinion has soured due to her response to the 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires, which destroyed over 16,000 structures across the city. A former member of Congress, the 72-year-old Bass is running for reelection on a platform of continuing her work to address homelessness, build affordable housing, and reduce violent crime.
During her first term, Bass declared a local emergency on homelessness and secured $50 million from the Los Angeles City Council to launch Inside Safe, a program aimed at moving people out of encampments into temporary and permanent housing. The initiative has drawn criticism for its high cost and because a growing percentage of those housed have since returned to encampments. However, the program has reduced the street population by roughly 18%, marking the first two-year decrease in the city's history.
Bass has condemned federal ICE raids, stating they create “fear and terror.” When federal agents swarmed MacArthur Park, Bass arrived at the scene demanding an end to the operation. Earlier this year, she signed an executive order to protect residents from the federal government, including barring federal agents from using city property for raids.
Raman's Progressive Challenge
Raman, who made history as the first candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America to win a city council seat, aims to push policies further left than Bass. Representing Council District 4—a diverse community from Silver Lake to the San Fernando Valley—Raman has been compared to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). She seeks to reduce encampments ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, boost public transportation, fix potholes and streetlights, and streamline affordable housing construction.
Both officials have historically been allies, endorsing each other's campaigns. Weeks ago, Raman endorsed Bass's reelection before entering the race. “The mayor and I are very aligned on our values,” Raman told the New York Times. “I think both of us really care about the city’s most vulnerable. We want the city to shine.”
Campaign Finance and Primary Upsets
Bass, the first woman elected mayor of LA, defeated billionaire developer Rick Caruso in 2022 in one of the city's most expensive races. This year, spending has been more modest. As of late May, Bass raised $3.13 million, while Raman, who refused corporate donations, brought in over $1 million. However, recent history shows big-city mayors struggle to secure reelection. The primary also saw former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, run an expensive but unsuccessful campaign capitalizing on frustration over fires and homelessness.
The mayoral election is set for Nov. 3.
