Nithya Raman's surprise challenge shakes LA politics, stuns Mayor Karen Bass

LOS ANGELES, CA: Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman sent shockwaves through the city’s political establishment on Saturday, February 7, by announcing an eleventh-hour challenge to incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

The move, made just hours before the filing deadline, pitted the progressive urban planner against a longtime ally she had previously endorsed as an "icon."

Raman’s entry into the race followed months of growing exasperation with what she described as a "dysfunctional" city government at a "breaking point" regarding housing and street safety.

The announcement caught Bass "flabbergasted," as the mayor had only learned of the plan shortly before it became public.

Analysts compare Nithya Raman and Zohran Mamdani  

Political pundits quickly drew parallels between Raman and Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s newly elected mayor. Both leaders shared a South Asian ethnic background and rose to prominence with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

While Raman acknowledged these similarities, local analysts pointed out significant differences in their political records.

"Nithya is more of a known brand than Zohran was," noted former Councilmember Mike Bonin, adding that it was harder to be a "progressive savior" after years in office.

Furthermore, Raman faced a less confrontational political culture in Los Angeles, where sitting councilmembers rarely challenged incumbent mayors.

DSA manifesto outlines radical LA transformation

The Democratic Socialists of America’s LA chapter, which had previously backed Raman, published a sweeping 9,000-word manifesto in 2025 that provided a window into the radical policies she could potentially champion.

The document outlined a roadmap to transform Los Angeles into a "socialist mass organization" within six to eight years.

Key demands in the DSA program included the "creative use of eminent domain" to seize private property for public housing and the expropriation of corporations in essential industries like grocery and internet services.

The group also advocated for a total elimination of fossil fuels by 2035 and the replacement of armed police with unarmed social workers for traffic and mental health crises.

Manifesto targets developers and 'status quo coalition' 

The DSA-LA "roadmap" further shocked critics with proposals to seize both private and public golf courses to be repurposed as parks or public housing sites.

The manifesto targeted what it called the "status quo coalition" of real estate developers, billionaires, and "capitalist sellout" politicians.

Additional goals included a total ban on all unhosted short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, and a vacancy tax on empty housing units.

The group also pushed for noncitizen voting in all local elections and the decommissioning of Men’s Central Jail without building any replacement carceral facilities. These policies represented what the organization called the choice between "socialism or barbarism."

Disloyalty accusations rattle City Hall

Raman’s sudden maneuver was viewed by some as a show of disloyalty, particularly since Mayor Bass endorsed Raman in her own competitive reelection bid just last year.

Even ideological allies have expressed shock; Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, a member of the progressive bloc, stated that he was "caught off-guard" and remained a strong supporter of Mayor Bass.

Raman acknowledged that the move had ruffled feathers but insisted that she felt there was "no other option" given the city's crises.