LA’s newer, bluer wave: Nithya Raman leads way as city’s progressives make their mark

Nithya Raman won the Los Angeles mayoral race, defeating incumbent Karen Bass in a major victory for the city’s progressive wing. Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates also gained posts across the area, extending the group’s influence in local and national politics.

The group said it secured its largest-ever slate of candidate victories after volunteers knocked on more than 110,000 doors. Its Los Angeles chapter had over 6,000 members last month and said another 2,000 joined this week; Raman’s win also reflected voter frustration with the city’s direction and Bass’s handling of the Palisades fire.