Democratic socialist Nithya Raman has expanded her lead over incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, with late-counted ballots pushing her past the 50% mark. As of Wednesday afternoon, with 67% of the vote tallied, Raman held a 26,124-vote advantage, representing 51.67% of the vote compared to Bass's 48.33%.
Earlier Wednesday, Raman had edged ahead of Bass with 63% of the vote counted, holding a lead of 18,205 votes. Political strategists suggest that Raman's strength with younger voters, who tend to cast ballots closer to Election Day, has been a key factor in the shifting results. This pattern mirrors Raman's performance in the June primary, where she overtook a competitor as later votes were counted.
"Nothing is definite, but given that Raman’s voters tend to vote later, their votes are going to be the last counted," veteran California political strategist Dan Schnur told The Post. "So while nothing’s guaranteed, she’s probably in a very strong and advantageous position at this point."
Schnur also noted that Raman's success highlights a generational divide in Los Angeles, with Bass performing well among older residents and the city's political establishment, while Raman resonated with younger voters concerned about rising housing costs and diminishing opportunities. "It’s almost as if they were running to be mayor of two different cities," Schnur said. "Bass did well with 20th century Los Angeles, but Raman did well with 21st century LA."
A victory for Raman would represent a significant achievement for the Democratic Socialists of America-Los Angeles (DSA-LA), which endorsed her in September. Raman, a councilmember since 2020, has been a prominent figure in the city's progressive movement. Political consultant Michael Trujillo predicted that Raman's growing lead would likely secure her victory, attributing it to the voting habits of younger demographics.
In the race for city attorney, DSA-endorsed candidate Marissa Roy has also opened a substantial lead over John McKinney, suggesting a potential sweep for the organization in key citywide elections.