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Karen Bass calls Nithya Raman to concede LA mayor’s race: ‘this is not the outcome we had hoped for’
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass conceded her re-election race to City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, ending Bass’s four-year mayoralty and paving the way for a major political change in America’s second-largest city. Raman’s win reflects growing frustration among younger voters over housing costs and economic prospects, as the city faces major challenges including homelessness, police staffing and preparations for the 2028 Olympics.
Bass said she had called Raman to congratulate her and promised a smooth transition, while defending her record on homelessness, public safety and affordable housing. An October poll put Bass’s job approval at 25.5 per cent, with 71.7 per cent disapproving; it showed Raman ahead 46.7 to 38.8 per cent, with 13.5 per cent undecided. The city’s homeless population reached 45,194 in 2026, including 29,115 people without shelter, and the article says police staffing had fallen to about 8,677 sworn officers.
In short
- Karen Bass conceded Los Angeles’s mayoral race to Nithya Raman.
- Raman is set to become the city’s first DSA-endorsed mayor.
- Homelessness and housing costs remain major challenges.
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 change after widespread dissatisfaction with Bass’s performance, particularly on homelessness, public safety and affordability. Younger voters facing high housing costs and uncertain economic prospects may reasonably expect new leadership to pursue different approaches and greater urgency, while the city prepares for the 2028 Olympics.
The case against
Bass’s supporters can argue that difficult, long-running problems such as homelessness and police staffing cannot be resolved quickly, and that her record should be judged in light of those structural challenges. Her defence of her work on homelessness, public safety and affordable housing, along with her promise of a smooth transition, offers a case for continuity and for recognising progress that may not yet have changed conditions enough to satisfy voters.