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LA Mayor Karen Bass says she’s ready for some ‘me’ time after losing re-election to woke rival Nithya Raman
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says she is unlikely to seek elected office again after losing her re-election bid to Nithya Raman. Asked about running again, the 73-year-old replied, “Doubtful”, adding that she now wants to consider what she would like to do personally after a lifetime in public service.
Bass described the result as part of a wider appetite for political change and said she wished Raman well. Raman, a 45-year-old city council member and former Bass ally, campaigned on housing, homelessness and public services, and drew support from younger voters. Bass, whose approval ratings had suffered after criticism of her response to the January 2025 wildfires, became the first incumbent Los Angeles mayor voted out in 21 years; Raman is due to take office on 8 December.
In short
- Bass says she is doubtful she will run for office again.
- Raman defeated the incumbent after campaigning for change in city services.
- Bass called serving as mayor the greatest honour of her life.
Explained simply
Los Angeles is governed by an elected mayor, who leads the city administration and helps shape policy on issues such as housing, homelessness and public services. Karen Bass, a Democrat and former member of Congress, became mayor in 2022 after a long career in public life.
Nithya Raman is a city council member who previously worked with Bass. Their contest came amid debate over how Los Angeles should address housing and homelessness, and scrutiny of the mayor’s handling of the January 2025 wildfires. The result matters because it changes the city’s leadership and its direction on these local issues.