Raman Defeats Bass in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman won 51.1 percent of the vote, unseating incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections

Raman Defeats Bass in Los Angeles Mayoral Race

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Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, receiving 51.1 percent of the vote to Bass's 48.33 percent. Donald Trump questioned the outcome and alleged irregularities without providing evidence.

Why it matters

The result puts a Democratic Socialist in charge of one of the country's largest cities, following similar mayoral wins in Washington DC and New York City. Trump's warnings about Democratic Socialist leadership have raised national attention to the race's outcome.

Raman received 51.1 percent of the vote and Bass received 48.33 percent, a margin of under three points. Trump's claims of irregularities were made without supporting evidence, and no evidence has been presented to back them.

The players

Nithya Raman

Raman, born in Kerala in 1981, moved to the United States at age six and holds degrees from Harvard and MIT.

Karen Bass

Bass is a former six-term congresswoman who served as the incumbent Los Angeles mayor before losing this race.

Donald Trump

Trump is the current President of the United States and warned that Democratic Socialist leadership in major cities could lead to disaster.

Democratic Socialists of America

The Democratic Socialists of America is a national organization of democratic socialists, with which Raman is associated.

The details

Raman, 45, is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America and defeated Bass, a former six-term congresswoman. Trump said voters may seek political change if residents are unhappy with the new leadership.

Trump's warning about Democratic Socialist leadership was made on Thursday, November 5, 2026, local time.

Season Trajectory

Raman's win extends a pattern of Democratic Socialist mayoral victories that began with Zohran Mamdani's win in New York City and continued with Janeese Lewis George in Washington DC. Los Angeles, one of the largest cities in the country, now joins those cities under Democratic Socialist leadership.

The outcome determines who leads Los Angeles city government, and therefore the city's policy direction on local budgets and services. Residents will see the practical effects of the new administration's priorities as it takes office.

The takeaway

Local mayoral races can shift a city's direction quickly, so checking candidates' platforms before each election helps residents understand what changes to expect.