Socialist Candidate Nithya Raman Defeats Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles

By אריאל ויטמן

Translated & summarized from Globes by baba

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Hebrew · 4 newsrooms covering

Socialist candidate Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles, becoming the city's first socialist mayor. Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won by a margin of about 3% after a campaign focused on local issues. Her strong criticism of Israel, including accusations of genocide and support for BDS, has drawn significant attention. This victory follows a similar win by a socialist-backed candidate in New York, signaling a growing trend within the Democratic Party.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Nithya Raman, a socialist, defeated incumbent Karen Bass to become Los Angeles's first socialist mayor.
Raman has accused Israel of genocide and expressed support for the BDS movement.
Her victory, alongside Zohran Mamdani's in New York, signifies a shift in major U.S. cities.
Raman's campaign focused on housing, homelessness, and police performance.
The election results indicate a growing progressive influence within the Democratic Party.

Socialist Candidate Nithya Raman Defeats Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Nithya Raman, a 45-year-old city council member identified with the socialist left, has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles, becoming the first socialist mayor of the second-largest city in the U.S. The race was decided on Wednesday evening U.S. time, with Raman leading by approximately 26,000 votes, a margin of about 3%, out of roughly 784,000 votes counted. Bass, who had served as mayor since 2022, lost her office after a single term.

Raman, elected to the city council in 2020, ran a campaign focused on high housing prices, homelessness, police performance, and the handling of major fires. Her victory carries significant implications beyond local issues, as she is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a movement associated with the far-left wing of the Democratic Party. This follows a similar surprise victory by DSA-backed Zohran Mamdani for mayor in New York last year, meaning two of the largest U.S. cities are now led by politicians identified with socialist ideologies.

Raman's stance on Israel has been a prominent aspect of her political identity. During her campaign, she accused Israel of genocide, called it an apartheid state, and expressed support for economic boycotts as a pressure tactic. In an interview with commentator Hasan Piker, Raman unequivocally stated "yes" when asked if she believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. She reiterated this position at a Jewish community event in late September, despite facing strong opposition from attendees. Bass, in contrast, rejected the genocide accusation.

The controversy extended to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which Raman described as a legitimate form of non-violent protest. In a statement to the DSA, she included BDS among methods Los Angeles residents could use to express solidarity with Gazans and pressure Israel. Her victory highlights how attitudes toward Israel have become a central ideological issue for parts of the American left. Even within this progressive wing, some activists argued Raman's positions were not sufficiently radical.

For Israel, Raman's win adds to a pattern of increasingly critical Democratic politicians. Like Mamdani in New York, Raman not only calls for a ceasefire or criticizes Israeli leadership but also accuses Israel of genocide and supports boycotts as a means of pressure.