Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman is planning to hire Fight Agency, a progressive advertising firm that has previously worked with New York City Council member Zohran Mamdani. The move comes as Raman, a city councilwoman, challenges incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for leadership of City Hall.
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that Raman's campaign intends to hire Fight Agency to produce television advertisements. As of the Times' report, no contract had been finalized.
Mayor Bass's campaign was quick to criticize the decision. "Nithya Raman’s decision to hire Fight Agency is a major liability for her candidacy and another example of putting her political ambition first," Alex Stack, Bass's campaign spokesman, told The Post. "On top of their toxic track record, Fight Agency just blew hundreds of millions of dollars tanking a statewide campaign and illegally paying influencers."
Fight Agency describes itself on its website as a firm for "political insurgents" seeking to take on "the toughest battles in politics" with "sharp messaging and the next great iconic ad." The firm stated it launched in January 2025 and has since worked with candidates including Mamdani and Graham Platner.
Fight Agency strategist Morris Katz reportedly served as Mamdani’s "lead media strategist," aiding in campaign strategy and advertisement production. However, the firm has faced criticism for its work with Platner, whose U.S. Senate campaign in Maine encountered significant controversies. Platner faced scrutiny over a tattoo linked to Nazism and allegations of mistreatment of women, preceding a sexual assault accusation by a former girlfriend, which Platner denied.
The fallout from Platner's campaign led to internal dissent among some Democratic Socialists, with several hundred members signing a letter urging candidates and elected officials to cease working with Fight Agency and Katz.
Raman is a member of DSA-LA, an organization that supported her previous City Council campaigns. However, DSA-LA has not yet endorsed a candidate in the current mayoral race, and none of Raman's fellow DSA-aligned council members have publicly backed her mayoral bid.
The planned hiring has also drawn local criticism. Michael Trujillo, a political consultant supporting Bass, expressed strong disapproval. "The Fight Agency successfully was able to spin for months Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo on his chest, him interacting with neo-Nazis on internet as a candidate for Senate," Trujillo told The Post. "Now they get to spin Nithya Raman’s record on reopening dangerous homeless encampments."
Fight Agency, through spokesman Michael Mikail, defended its work, stating, "We decided to make ads for the campaign that actually believes in taking on a broken status quo and a corrupt political establishment to finally make things work in L.A. again," The Times reported.
The controversy emerges shortly before Raman and Bass are scheduled to participate in a mayoral debate hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association.