Raman Defeats Bass In LA Mayor’s Race, NBC News Projects

LOS ANGELES, CA — City Councilwoman Nithya Raman is projected to defeat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the race for Los Angeles mayor, NBC News reported, marking a major political upset in the nation's second-largest city.

NBC News called the race for Raman after she steadily widened her lead over Bass as election officials counted ballots. Decision Desk HQ also projected Raman as the winner Wednesday evening.

The latest figures released Thursday morning by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office showed Raman with 429,450 votes, or 52.1%, compared with Bass' 394,796 votes, or 47.9%.

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Raman's lead grew to 34,654 votes Thursday morning, up from 26,124 votes Wednesday night.

Bass initially held a narrow lead when the first results were released Tuesday night, but Raman pulled ahead as additional ballots were counted.

Raman, 45, ran a progressive campaign that criticized Bass' handling of homelessness and rising housing costs. Her victory would make her the latest democratic socialist to win a mayoral race in a major U.S. city.

Ballot counting is continuing, and the results have not yet been certified.

City News Service contributed to this report.