LOS ANGELES — Nithya Raman is projected to become Los Angeles’ first Asian-American mayor and the second woman elected to the highest citywide office. After entering the race last minute to challenge incumbent Karen Bass, Raman ran a campaign following the playbook of other democratic socialist-aligned candidates. Raman galvanized young voters with policy proposals grounded in affordability and improvements to municipal utilities.
Her campaign received an early boost when Controller Kenneth Mejia, the first Asian American to be elected to citywide office in Los Angeles, endorsed her. The two frequently campaigned together, attacking Bass’ signature homelessness program, Inside Safe, which has cost the city over $300 million to house 6,000 Angelenos, 40 percent of whom returned to the streets. Raman’s background as an urban planner earned her trust with voters concerned about housing policy and utility costs.
She touted her ability to reduce homelessness in her district by nearly 50 percent, even as rates rose across the city overall. Bass, once a young radical, had the Los Angeles Police Department’s union on her side: Campaign finance records show it poured in over $5 million to oppose Raman. Like other candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Raman had called for defunding the police during the 2020 nationwide uprisings following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The next mayor will lead the city through the final years of the Trump administration and take charge of the 2028 Olympics. The short-term rental company Airbnb spent millions in the race to support Bass. At the Crenshaw High School voting location Tuesday, people waited in line for about an hour to cast their vote.
Those who voted for Bass expressed confidence in the current mayor’s ability to lead Los Angeles during a second term. I believe in second chances.” Those who voted for Raman emphasized the need for new leadership. Brandon Ramirez, 20, voted for Raman in his second ever election.
In October, the Los Angeles Police Department union, which has endorsed Bass and spent millions to oppose Raman, donated $200,000 to the Republican Central Committee of LA County. That group later sent out anti-Raman mailers, according to state campaign filings. And then, crime rates don’t decrease, rent gets higher, and stuff like that needs to change.” Ramirez said.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
