LOS ANGELES – Two Democratic contenders vying to lead a troubled Los Angeles will face off Tuesday in a closely watched forum, just days before mail ballots begin arriving. Voters are deciding whether to give unpopular incumbent Karen Bass another term or back Nithya Raman, a lesser-known City Council member supported by the Democratic Socialists of America.
The race has fueled speculation that the nation’s second-largest city could mirror New York, where democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the mayor’s office after a remarkable rise built around promises to reshape city government and return power to working people. In Los Angeles, however, Raman’s first citywide campaign has attracted nothing like the celebrity attention that surrounded Mamdani.
The candidates are set to appear at a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation Los Angeles as Democrats remain sharply divided over the war in Gaza and U.S. aid to Israel.
Bass, the first Black woman to serve as Los Angeles mayor, is seeking to preserve her job after a difficult first term. She has faced continued criticism over the deadly Palisades Fire, the most destructive blaze in the city’s history, which began while she was overseas. Then, in June, a fire at a huge frozen-food warehouse east of downtown left nearby residents dealing with foul odors and weeks of frustration.
Raman initially endorsed Bass before changing course and launching her own campaign. She is now testing whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want a sharper move to the left to confront persistent homelessness, deteriorating roads and soaring rents and home prices. Raman has repeatedly attacked what she calls “the broken status quo.”
The mayoral contest briefly drew national attention because of Spencer Pratt, the Republican reality television personality known for “The Hills,” who lost his home in the Palisades Fire. His campaign gained momentum through supporter-created artificial intelligence videos, but he did not qualify for the November election.
In a city where local elections often struggle to command attention, the contest for City Hall has been eclipsed by turmoil in Washington, the battle for control of Congress, two wars, inflation concerns and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ preparations for another playoff run.
The next mayor will also face major questions over how Los Angeles, already under financial strain, will handle the 2028 Olympics.
“There are a bunch of people who don’t want to vote for Karen (Bass) and they are wrestling with what to do,” veteran Democratic strategist Bill Carrick said after the fires. Raman, he added, is not broadly known, and “the decibel level of this campaign is unbelievably low.”
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With mail ballots expected to reach voters’ homes in early October, the usual signs of an active election — yard signs, television commercials, billboards and bumper stickers — have been hard to find. Data from AdImpact shows the campaigns have spent or reserved only a small amount on television and digital advertising through Election Day.
Bass entered office in 2022 pledging to tackle Los Angeles’ escalating homelessness crisis, but the issue remains visible across much of the city. Data released in July showed homelessness had risen from the previous year after briefly declining. Bass blamed the Trump administration for cuts and policies “that pushed more people onto the streets.”
Her tenure has also coincided with federal immigration raids, a continuing loss of Hollywood jobs and complaints from residents about dirty, deteriorating streets and homeless encampments.
Raman, who could become the first South Asian woman to serve as mayor, argues that City Hall has catered to powerful insiders while “working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services and a city that has stopped working for them.”
As the incumbent, Bass represents the Democratic establishment. She has endorsements from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as influential labor unions. Before becoming mayor in 2022, she served in the California Legislature and in Congress.
Raman has pledged to accelerate housing construction, revive entertainment-industry employment and improve public services in a city long criticized for filthy streets, traffic congestion and an unresponsive City Hall.
Another uncertainty is what will happen to Pratt’s supporters — assuming they vote at all. Pratt received roughly 25% of the vote, finishing several percentage points behind Raman, and he has continued attacking both candidates on social media.
“Truly the Dumb and Dumber election. So sad for LA. Dark times ahead, folks,” he recently wrote on X.
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