Los Angeles Mayoral Race: Bass vs. Raman in Runoff
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will contest City Council member Nithya Raman in a runoff election this November. Both candidates are Democrats, and they emerged from a primary cluttered with contenders, including Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star who ran a Republican campaign.
The primary race saw nobody exceed the 50% threshold, which means the top two finishers, Bass and Raman, will proceed to the runoff. Initially, Pratt was in second place behind Bass, but a surge in late Democratic votes propelled Raman past him. This trend was notable across California, where later-counted votes skewed more Democratic.
Bass became mayor in 2022, following a heated race against real estate developer Rick Caruso. She faced significant criticism regarding her handling of wildfires last year. During these fires, more than 16,000 buildings were destroyed, with challenges like running out of water from hydrants adding to the public’s frustration. A Los Angeles Times poll in March revealed that 56% of respondents viewed the mayor unfavorably.
Raman expressed her disappointment with City Hall’s reluctance to address severe issues like homelessness and housing, which prompted her to run for mayor. Although she initially endorsed Bass, Raman decided to challenge her. Raman also had Bass’ support in her 2024 City Council re-election bid. Raman emphasized, “My team and I have tried so hard to intervene aggressively on the most urgent issues… but… I found myself running into a wall of reluctance.”
Bass countered by accusing Raman of failing to advocate for necessary changes during her tenure in the council. During a debate, Bass stated that Raman’s portrayal as an outsider was inaccurate. Bass also acknowledged public frustration on matters like wildfires and homelessness, while highlighting her administration’s achievements. In her election night address, Bass expressed gratitude to supporters and remained confident about re-election.
Bass’ vulnerability made her target of criticism from both left and right. Pratt, who has gained national attention, condemned Bass for the impact of the wildfires and vowed to tackle homelessness if elected. Despite not receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Pratt did receive words of encouragement from him.
The upcoming runoff between Bass and Raman represents a shift in dynamics compared to what would have been with Pratt. A Los Angeles Times poll indicated that both Bass and Raman would likely lead against Pratt in separate matchups. However, the head-to-head between Bass and Raman showed Raman with 32% compared to Bass’ 28%, leaving a significant 40% of voters uncertain about their choice.