The next Mamdani? Progressive Nithya Raman shakes up LA mayor's race

"Nithya Raman, a progressive urban planner, entered Los Angeles politics with a bang when she was elected to city council in 2020, defeating an incumbent Democrat endorsed by Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. More than five years on, the 44-year-old is making waves again with her last-minute entry into the LA mayoral race. Raman filed to run just hours before the deadline after recently endorsing Mayor Karen Bass for re-election to the surprise of constituents, and political allies and opponents alike."

"The bombshell development came after the race had finally appeared to be swinging in Bass's favor, following months of criticism over the city's handling of last year's wildfires and ever present frustrations about homelessness and housing. Several competitors had recently announced that they would not run, seemingly easing Bass's path to victory. That also presented an opening for Raman. It's rare to have a serious contender join a race so late, the veteran LA journalist Jim Newton noted,"

"Raman said in a statement to the Guardian that she viewed running for mayor is an extraordinary opportunity to make Los Angeles more affordable and to govern with urgency and accountability. Her candidacy has changed the calculus of the race, and fueled fascination with the race and her split with Bass. In a lengthy interview with Raman, the NBC Los Angeles political reporter Conan Nolan suggested that, to Bass, the development was not unlike Brutus's betrayal of Julius Caesar."

Nithya Raman, a progressive urban planner who defeated an incumbent Democratic councilmember in 2020, filed a last-minute mayoral campaign in Los Angeles hours before the deadline. She filed after recently endorsing Mayor Karen Bass for re-election, surprising constituents, allies, and opponents. The entry arrived as the contest had been tilting toward Bass amid criticism of wildfire response and ongoing homelessness and housing frustrations, and after several potential challengers declined to run. Raman’s candidacy altered the race dynamics, drew comparisons to other Democratic Socialists, highlighted prior celebrity endorsements, and emphasized goals of affordability, urgency, and accountability.

Read at www.theguardian.com