Who is Nithya Raman, the next Mamdani, projected to win the Los Angeles mayoral race?

A relatively new but increasingly influential figure in local politics, Nithya Raman has emerged as a key contender in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race, turning heads for her progressive credentials, grassroots rise, and policy focus on housing and governance reform.

The 44-year-old city councilmember, who represents Los Angeles’s Fourth District, entered the race in a dramatic late move, setting up a direct challenge to incumbent mayor Karen Bass.

The nonpartisan primary is scheduled for June 2, and early polling suggests a competitive race, even as Bass maintains an initial lead. As of April 30, Polymarket has projected a 60 per cent chance for Raman to lead Los Angeles.

A sitting city councilmember, urban planner, and activist with roots in India, Raman rise represents both a personal political journey and a reflection of evolving voter priorities in one of the United States’ most influential cities.

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Who is Nithya Raman?

Born on July 28, 1981, into a Tamil family in Kerala, India, Raman spent her early childhood before relocating to the United States at the age of six.

Her family settled in Louisiana, marking the beginning of her long association with the country where she would eventually build her career. Years later, she became a naturalised American citizen at the age of 22.

Raman’s academic credentials are rooted in some of the most prestigious institutions in the United States. She pursued her undergraduate studies in political theory at Harvard University, before advancing to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she obtained a master’s degree in urban planning.

These academic experiences helped shape her focus on cities, governance systems, and public policy — areas that would later define her professional and political work.

Her early exposure to both India and the United States also played a role in shaping her worldview. After spending significant time in the US, Raman returned to India for a period, where she founded a research organisation aimed at improving sanitation in Chennai.

What work has Raman done before entering LA politics?

Before entering electoral politics, Raman’s work was primarily centred around urban issues, social justice, and advocacy. After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, she worked within the city’s administrative system, gaining insight into municipal governance and bureaucratic processes.

Her involvement in grassroots activism became particularly prominent in 2017, when she founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. The organisation focused on addressing homelessness through direct outreach, community mobilisation, and local engagement.

Raman’s work with SELAH reflected a belief that civic participation at the neighbourhood level could play a meaningful role in addressing systemic challenges.

In addition to her work on homelessness, Raman also served as the executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment, an organisation linked to the broader #MeToo movement that sought to address gender inequality and workplace misconduct within the entertainment industry.

Beyond her political career, Raman lives in the Silver Lake neighbourhood of Los Angeles with her husband, television writer and producer Vali Chandrasekaran, and their twins, Karna and Kaveri.

Her personal background — as an immigrant, a working mother, and a professional with experience in both the public and nonprofit sectors — has been a recurring theme in her public profile.

How did Raman enter into LA politics?

Raman’s transition into electoral politics came in 2020, when she decided to run for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. At the time, she was widely considered an outsider, lacking the traditional backing of political institutions or established networks.

Her campaign, however, was built on an extensive grassroots effort. Thousands of volunteers participated in outreach efforts, engaging directly with voters across the district.

The scale of the mobilisation was notable, with volunteers knocking on tens of thousands of doors and building a broad-based support network.

The result was a significant political upset. Raman defeated incumbent councilmember David Ryu, who had received endorsements from prominent national figures such as Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.

Her victory was widely interpreted as a sign of shifting political currents within Los Angeles, particularly among renters and younger voters.

The win was historic in multiple respects. Raman became the first South Asian woman and the first Asian American woman to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council. Her campaign was described by the Los Angeles Times as “a political earthquake”.

She was re-elected in 2024, securing a second term and consolidating her position within the city’s political landscape.

What is Raman's role in the Los Angeles City Council?

Since taking office, Raman has represented the Fourth District of Los Angeles, an area that includes a diverse mix of neighbourhoods such as Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, and Van Nuys.

The district encompasses both densely populated urban areas and more affluent residential zones, reflecting a wide range of socioeconomic conditions.

Her work on the council has largely focused on housing, homelessness, and city governance. Raman has advocated for policies aimed at increasing housing supply, including zoning reforms and changes to permitting processes designed to accelerate construction timelines.

She has also supported tenant protection measures, contributing to legislative efforts that seek to limit rent increases and provide additional safeguards for renters.

“I have been very supportive of our rent stabilisation ordinance here in the city of Los Angeles. I've tried to improve it. I've tried to make it so that some of our rental increases that were allowable under that ordinance actually went down, because there were very, very high increases that could have been charged through that ordinance,” Raman told local news outler LAist in April.

In the area of homelessness, Raman has pushed for greater oversight of public spending, improved data collection, and enhanced coordination between city departments and service providers.

Under her leadership, her district has recorded some of the most significant reductions in unsheltered homelessness within the city.

Why is Raman being considered as a potential

How have locals responded to Raman's mayoral race?

Raman officially announced her candidacy on February 7 — just hours before the filing deadline. The timing of the announcement drew attention, particularly because she had endorsed mayor Karen Bass for re-election only weeks earlier.

The move was described as a “surprise bid” by the Los Angeles Times, highlighting both its timing and its potential implications for the race. Bass herself acknowledged the unexpected nature of the challenge but chose not to characterise it as a betrayal.

The entry also prompted reactions from various stakeholders. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which has supported Bass and opposed Raman in previous elections, criticised her candidacy sharply, stating that "if political backstabbing were a crime, Nithya Raman would be a wanted fugitive."

Despite the controversy surrounding her entry, Raman’s campaign quickly gained momentum, supported by a network of volunteers and grassroots organisers.

“The response over the last two weeks has been incredible, with hundreds of volunteers signing up to propel our people-powered campaign. It’s clear that many Angelenos want change. Our campaign is about bringing new leadership to city hall that’s ready to take responsibility, build for the future, and deliver for the people who call this city home,” Raman told The Guardian in February.

Her rise has also drawn comparisons to other progressive figures in American politics, including current New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Like Mamdani, Raman has been associated with the Democratic Socialists of America and has built her political base through grassroots organising and mobilisation.

And just like Mamdani, since she is not a natural-born citizen of the US, Raman can never run for the White House.

What are Raman's key policy issues?

Raman’s mayoral campaign has centred on a set of core issues, including housing affordability, city services, and economic revitalisation. A major focus has been on increasing housing production to address the city’s long-standing shortage and rising costs.

She has also emphasised the need to improve the delivery of basic services, arguing that residents expect more effective governance and responsiveness from city institutions.

Another significant component of her platform is the revitalisation of Los Angeles’s film and television industry. Raman has argued that the city needs to take more proactive steps to retain and attract production, positioning it as a key economic driver.

At the same time, she has raised concerns about existing policies. She has criticised the “Inside Safe” programme, an initiative led by Bass to move homeless individuals into temporary housing, describing it as financially unsustainable and pointing to variations in outcomes and costs.

Throughout her campaign, Raman has framed the election as a response to a city facing multiple crises, from housing shortages to homelessness and economic pressures. “Los Angeles is at a breaking point,” she told The New York Times (NYT) in February. “And people feel it in the most basic ways.”

Her messaging has consistently emphasised urgency, accountability, and the need for structural change rather than incremental adjustments. She has also highlighted the importance of leadership that anticipates challenges and responds transparently.

“Los Angeles needs a mayor who’s going to take responsibility for the whole system,” she told NYT. “Who is going to prepare for emergencies before they happen? Who is going to communicate honestly when things go wrong and fix what fails?”

Raman has also spoken about her personal connection to the city and her concerns about its future. “This city welcomed me and my husband, and gave us opportunities beyond what I could have ever imagined. But I am afraid that the city is no longer a place of opportunity.”

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With inputs from agencies