Nithya Raman Projected to Win Los Angeles Mayor's Race Over Incumbent Karen Bass

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is projected to become the city's next mayor after defeating incumbent Karen Bass, according to Decision Desk HQ, which called the race Wednesday evening. Raman led by about 26,000 votes, roughly three percentage points, out of 784,262 votes cast, the firm said. County officials' preliminary results showed Raman at 51.7% and Bass at 48.3%, with about 72% of the expected vote counted in the latest tally. The Associated Press had not called the race, and the California secretary of state will finalize the results in early December. Raman's lead was expected to grow as mail-in ballots, which take longer to process, are counted, ending Bass's single term.

Left-leaning coverage, from the Los Angeles Times, leads with the county's preliminary count, pairing Raman's 51.7% to 48.3% edge with a precinct-level map and stressing that the tally is incomplete and the AP has not called the race. It focuses on the vote figures and the December certification and, in the excerpt available, does not characterize either candidate. Right-leaning coverage, from Newsmax, leads with its own projection that Raman defeats Bass and describes Raman as a democratic socialist, framing the result as the end of Bass's tenure. Alternative outlets agree on the core result but differ in emphasis. The Hollywood Reporter highlights Bass's credibility problems, constituent anger over housing, affordability, the production exodus and her response to the Palisades wildfire, and quotes Raman's election-night speech denouncing cynicism. The Hill calls Bass embattled and emphasizes the 26,000-vote margin. The sides agree on Raman's lead and Bass's defeat, but differ on whether to stress the count's status (left), the projection and label (right), or Bass's record (alternative).