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Nithya Raman to become Los Angeles mayor after Bass concedes
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Newly added coverage confirms that Nithya Raman will become Los Angeles mayor after Karen Bass conceded on Thursday, as Raman’s lead continued to grow. Raman thanked Bass and said she would work towards a city government able to deliver on its promises, with affordable housing, parks and public transport among her priorities.
At the latest count, Raman led by 4.2 percentage points, with thousands of ballots still outstanding; late-arriving votes had helped her move ahead. She entered the race in February and rallied voters seeking an alternative to Bass, who had focused on public safety. Bass, mayor since 2022, faced criticism over homelessness, civic disorder and her handling of the 2025 Palisades fire.
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In short
- Raman will be Los Angeles mayor after Bass conceded.
- Her lead stood at 4.2 points, with ballots still uncounted.
- Raman named housing, parks and public transport as priorities.
How this story developed
- 47 minutes ago Raman’s victory was reported after Bass conceded, with Raman pledging to prioritise affordable housing, parks and public transport and make city government more effective.
- 53 minutes ago Karen Bass conceded on Thursday, confirming that Raman would become Los Angeles mayor as her lead continued to grow.
- 1 hour ago Nithya Raman led Karen Bass by 4.2 percentage points in the Los Angeles mayoral race on Thursday morning, with thousands of ballots uncounted and late votes tending to favour younger voters and renters.
- New York Post Nithya Raman pays tribute to Karen Bass and thanks LA voters after winning race for mayor
- El País Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass to become Los Angeles’ first Asian-American mayor
- Le Monde Leftist Nithya Raman beats Democratic incumbent Karen Bass to become LA mayor
- Variety Nithya Raman to become Los Angeles mayor after Bass concedes
- Daily Mail LA elects its wokest ever mayor Nithya Raman after Karen Bass presided over wildfires disaster… with locals now fearful vagrant and drug filled City of Angels will descend even further into squalor
Full account
Nithya Raman is set to become mayor of Los Angeles after incumbent Karen Bass conceded the race on Thursday. With ballots still being counted, Raman’s lead had widened to 4.2 percentage points in one report. Another account, using figures from Thursday morning with 76 per cent counted, put her ahead by 52.1 per cent to 47.9 per cent, a margin of about 35,000 votes among 824,000 counted. The totals were not final at that point.
Bass said voters had made their decision, congratulated Raman and promised a smooth handover. Raman’s first public message as mayor-elect included a tribute to Bass’s decades in public service, from nursing and community work to roles in state and national politics and her election as Los Angeles’s first woman mayor. Raman also appealed to people who had supported Bass or had not voted, saying she would work to earn their trust.
Raman said her priorities included more affordable housing, parks for children, public transport that works for residents and a city government able to meet its commitments. She presented the result as an opportunity for new leadership. Her route to the contest was unexpected: one report says she entered the race late in February, while another describes her as little known beyond local politics until launching her primary campaign that summer. She gained support by focusing on practical concerns, though some constituents in her council district have criticised her record on local services.
Bass, mayor since 2022, campaigned on public safety and warned that Raman had opposed police funding and anti-camping zones. Raman argued that Los Angeles needed leadership less bound by City Hall relationships. Accounts differ in their emphasis on what weakened Bass: one points to voters dissatisfied with her leadership and the appeal of a Democratic alternative; another highlights criticism of her handling of the January 2025 wildfires and her failure to reverse homelessness trends. Raman joined the City Council in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. She will be the city’s first South Asian mayor and only its second woman mayor.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The reported vote margin reflects different counting updates: one account gives Raman a 4.2-point lead with many ballots outstanding, while another reports a 52.1–47.9 split with 76 per cent counted. Neither figure is presented as a final certified result.
Coverage of the campaign varies. One account focuses on late-arriving ballots, young voters and renters, and endorsements from entertainment figures; another stresses Raman’s everyday policy messaging and notes criticism of her district-level record. A further account centres Bass’s wildfire response and homelessness record.
The fourth supplied source contains only an access-denial notice, so it provides no reportable account of the race.
Left-leaning outlets 2
- Nithya Raman defeats Karen Bass to become Los Angeles’ first Asian-American mayorEl País
- Leftist Nithya Raman beats Democratic incumbent Karen Bass to become LA mayorLe Monde
Only here: become, defeats, angeles, asian, american
Right-leaning outlets 2
- Nithya Raman pays tribute to Karen Bass and thanks LA voters after winning race for mayorNew York Post
- LA elects its wokest ever mayor Nithya Raman after Karen Bass presided over wildfires disaster… with locals now fearful vagrant and drug filled City of Angels will descend even further into squalorDaily Mail
Only here: pays, tribute, thanks, voters, winning
Every side used: nithya, raman, karen, bass, mayor
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Raman’s victory can be seen as a mandate for a different set of priorities: voters may want stronger action on affordable housing, parks and public transport, alongside a city government that delivers more reliably. Her support among younger voters and renters could reflect the concerns of residents who feel existing policies have not met their needs.
The case against
Bass’s emphasis on public safety addressed residents’ concerns about civic disorder, homelessness and the city’s ability to maintain safe public spaces. Voters who supported her approach may have valued continuity and focused leadership on those issues, while questioning whether Raman’s priorities and pledges will translate into effective results.
Coverage · 5 sources
Bias meters
From 4 rated sources, 1 unrated.
- VarietyNithya Raman to become Los Angeles mayor after Bass concedes
- New York PostRightNithya Raman pays tribute to Karen Bass and thanks LA voters after winning race for mayor
- El PaísLeftNithya Raman defeats Karen Bass to become Los Angeles’ first Asian-American mayor
- Le MondeLeftLeftist Nithya Raman beats Democratic incumbent Karen Bass to become LA mayor
- Daily MailRightLA elects its wokest ever mayor Nithya Raman after Karen Bass presided over wildfires disaster… with locals now fearful vagrant and drug filled City of Angels will descend even further into squalor
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Variety as “Nithya Raman Wins L.A. Mayor’s Race as Karen Bass Concedes”.