Los Angeles has ousted a sitting mayor, with democratic socialist city council member Nithya Raman defeating incumbent Karen Bass and prompting Bass to publicly concede the race.
Story Snapshot
- Karen Bass conceded and called Nithya Raman to congratulate her, promising a smooth transition.
- County returns showed Raman ahead 429,450 votes to 394,796, a 34,654-vote margin.
- NBC News Decision Desk and the Associated Press both projected Raman as the winner.
- Raman becomes the first Indian-American elected mayor of Los Angeles, joining New York’s Zohran Mamdani as a democratic socialist leading one of the nation’s two largest cities.
Bass Concedes As Returns Favor Raman
Mayor Karen Bass conceded the race on November 6, 2026, saying she had already spoken with her opponent. “I have called Councilmember Nithya Raman to congratulate her on her victory, and I have committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition,” Bass said, according to ABC7. The statement ended weeks of campaigning in one of the country’s largest mayoral contests.
Vote counts released by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk showed Raman with a clear lead once more ballots were tallied. Raman had 429,450 votes, or 52.1%, to Bass’s 394,796 votes, or 47.9%, a margin of 34,654 votes, according to figures reported by ABC7. That gap gave Raman a firm hold on the race heading into Bass’s concession.
Two Independent Projections Called The Race
NBC News Decision Desk projected Raman as the winner, citing 460,772 votes, or 52.7%, for Raman against 413,519 votes, or 47.3%, for Bass, based on 76.3% of expected votes counted, NBC Los Angeles reported. The Associated Press separately projected Raman as the winner while covering Bass’s concession, giving the outcome two independent media calls.
Raman’s advantage grew rather than shrank as more ballots were counted. NBC Los Angeles reported her lead moved from 405,193 to 379,069 in an earlier count to 429,450 to 394,796 in a later release. That pattern reflects a widening margin through the counting process, not a late swing or reversal in the race.
An Indian-American Urban Planner Takes Office
Raman, a former urban planner, becomes the first Indian-American elected mayor of Los Angeles. She has said her priorities include homelessness, public safety and housing, according to ABC7’s coverage of her victory remarks. Her win places a democratic socialist in charge of Los Angeles just as Zohran Mamdani leads New York, giving the ideology control of America’s two largest cities.
Democratic socialists set to lead America’s two largest cities after Raman ousts Bass
“Los Angeles, I'm deeply honored to be your next Mayor,” Raman said in a statement shared by her campaign
Karen Bass concedes LA mayoral race to socialist Nithya Raman https://t.co/ADEanZYfe7
— Chuck Kennedy (@chuck85258) November 6, 2026
Election researchers note that a candidate’s win typically moves through three stages: a media projection, a concession, and a formal certification of the final canvass. The available reporting confirms the first two steps for Raman, while the final certified vote total was not included in the reports reviewed. That distinction matters for anyone tracking how and when election results become official, a process that has drawn scrutiny nationwide as voters on both sides of the aisle keep a closer eye on how ballots get counted and confirmed.
Sources:
youtube.com, nbcnews.com, abc7.com, abc7news.com
