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

Highly rated councilmember makes last-minute entry after endorsing former ally Karen Bass - can she build a campaign to win?

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.