2026 midterms: Nithya Raman's win in Los Angeles signals the rise of a new left in the United States

Democratic socialist Nithya Raman has unseated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. According to the South China Morning Post, Raman won 52 per cent of the vote to Bass's 48 per cent, leading the outgoing mayor to concede via telephone on Thursday. Global News describes the India-born Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, as an upstart whose victory represents a generational shift for the city.

Raman's campaign focused on housing and the cost of living, according to Le Monde English. Global News reports that Raman initially endorsed Bass before entering the race herself just hours before the filing deadline, citing a "breaking point" for the city. While the South China Morning Post notes the candidates were once allies who sparred over frustration with the status quo, The Guardian US characterizes Raman as an urban planner and outsider with close ties to Hollywood progressives and a complicated relationship with the DSA.

In her victory remarks, Raman promised to deliver affordable housing, improved transit, parks, and a city government capable of fulfilling its promises. Global News notes that Raman's election follows the recent election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, South China Morning Post, Global News, The Guardian US — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.