Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman became emotional Tuesday night as early election results showed her trailing both incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Republican challenger Spencer Pratt in the race to lead the nation’s second-largest city.
Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member, entered the race in February after previously endorsing Bass. Her campaign sought to attract progressive voters who had grown dissatisfied with the incumbent mayor’s leadership on issues including housing affordability, homelessness, and public services.
According to results reported by the Associated Press on Wednesday, Bass led the field with 34.8% of the vote. Pratt held second place with 30.4%, while Raman received 22.3%. With roughly 60% of votes counted, the AP had not yet officially projected which candidate would secure the second spot in the November runoff election.
During her election night remarks, Raman thanked supporters, campaign staff, and her husband while addressing a crowd of backers. Although she appeared upbeat at first, she became visibly emotional when speaking directly to her 10-year-old twins.
“I hope you know that everything every person in this room is fighting for in this campaign has been about building a city that’s worthy of you, and every child in this city,” Raman said through tears.
Raman, who identifies as a Democratic socialist, has made housing and homelessness central themes of her political career. Her campaign platform emphasized expanding affordable housing opportunities and addressing the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis.
“The inability to equitably and affordably house all of our residents is the compounding moral crisis of our time,” a statement on her campaign website reads under its “Housing for All” section.
Her record on homelessness has drawn both praise and criticism during the campaign. Raman previously secured more than $4 million in state funding intended to address homeless encampments along a 19-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River. However, according to reporting by The California Post, the funding remained unspent nearly two years after it was awarded.
The outlet reported that approximately 90 individuals continue to live in makeshift shelters along the river corridor. Emergency responders also reportedly discovered a deceased individual inside one of the encampments on April 2.
Responding to questions about the delay, a spokesperson for Raman cited administrative hurdles and contracting requirements that slowed the deployment of the funds.
“Councilmember Nithya Raman has consistently treated homelessness as the urgent crisis it is, which is why it is deeply frustrating when critical resources get caught in administrative and contracting processes,” the spokesperson told The California Post.
The spokesperson added that Raman remains focused on ensuring the funding produces “real outreach, real housing placements, and visible progress” for both homeless residents and surrounding communities.
In her election night speech, Raman also highlighted several progressive priorities, describing a vision for Los Angeles “where we stand up against ICE, where we show up for our gay and trans siblings.”
With months remaining before the November runoff, the race is expected to continue focusing on homelessness, public safety, housing costs, and the future direction of Los Angeles under its next mayor.
