Nithya Raman, set to become the next mayor of Los Angeles, said she loved the city and believed in its people after defeating incumbent Karen Bass in the mayoral election.&nbsp;Speaking at the Original Farmers Market, Raman said, “This city has given me and my family so much — and at a time when the federal government, over the past two years … has rejected immigrants.”&nbsp;“This city has opened its arms to people to come and build their dreams here,” she added&nbsp;Raman's victory makes her the first challenger to defeat an incumbent Los Angeles mayor in more than two decades. She is also set to become the city's first Indian-American and South Asian mayor.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LA’s Mayor-ELECT Nithya Raman: ‘I AM AN IMMIGRANT — THIS IS A CITY OF IMMIGRANTS’ https://t.co/B0QUL7iQ2p&mdash; RT (@RT_com) <a href="https://x.com/RT_com/status/2118542091873849594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Thank you, LA: Raman's first post after victory</h3>In her first post on X after the victory, Raman said she was deeply honoured to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. She also acknowledged Bass's decades of public service.&nbsp;“Los Angeles, I am deeply honoured to be your next mayor. I just spoke with Mayor Bass and expressed my deepest gratitude for her leadership and decades of service. Los Angeles would not be the city it is today without her,” she wrote.&nbsp;Raman said the work ahead would be difficult but expressed confidence in the city's future.&nbsp;“I love this city. I believe in its people. The work ahead will be hard, and change will take time. And together, we are going to build a future as extraordinary as the city we call home. Thank you, LA. Let's get to work,” she added.&nbsp;Bass called Raman on Thursday to concede the race after the latest tally from Tuesday's election showed Raman leading with 52 per cent of the vote, compared with 48 per cent for the incumbent. She was the first Black woman to serve as Los Angeles mayor.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nothing-without-our-approval-trump-says-iran-cannot-act-on-nuclear-programme-1793937058070">'Nothing without our approval': Trump says Iran cannot act on nuclear programme</a><h3>Who is Nithya Raman?</h3>Born in Kerala in 1981, Raman moved to the United States at the age of six. She studied at Harvard University and later earned a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.&nbsp;Her campaign focused on issues including affordable housing, homelessness, public services and infrastructure. She also proposed deploying medical teams to help people experiencing homelessness.&nbsp;Raman's victory means two of the largest cities in the United States are now led by mayors of Indian descent. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office in January 2026.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Los Angeles, I am deeply honored to be your next mayor.

I just spoke with Mayor Bass and expressed my deepest gratitude for her leadership and decades of service. Los Angeles would not be the city it is today without her.

I love this city. I believe in its people. The work ahead will be hard, and change will take time. And together, we are going to build a future as extraordinary as the city we call home.

Thank you, LA. Let’s get to work.&mdash; Nithya Raman (@nithyavraman) <a href="https://x.com/nithyavraman/status/2118438804063445171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Nithya Raman thanked Los Angeles voters and outgoing Mayor Karen Bass after defeating her in the mayoral election, promising to work towards building a better future for the city.

Nithya Raman, set to become the next mayor of Los Angeles, said she loved the city and believed in its people after defeating incumbent Karen Bass in the mayoral election. Speaking at the Original Farmers Market, Raman said, “This city has given me and my family so much — and at a time when the federal government, over the past two years … has rejected immigrants.” “This city has opened its arms to people to come and build their dreams here,” she added Raman's victory makes her the first challenger to defeat an incumbent Los Angeles mayor in more than two decades. She is also set to become the city's first Indian-American and South Asian mayor.

Nithya Raman thanked Los Angeles voters and outgoing Mayor Karen Bass after defeating her in the mayoral election, promising to work towards building a better future for the city.

‘This city has opened its arms’: Nithya Raman's emotional reaction after becoming LA mayor | Video

Kerala-born Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, becoming the city's first Asian-American mayor. She is set to take charge as the 44th mayor of Los Angeles, according to Decision Desk HQ.&nbsp;Raman secured 51.1 per cent of the votes, while Bass received 48.33 per cent, the election projection outlet reported. She will also become the second woman to be elected to the city's highest political office.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Decision Desk HQ projects Nithya Raman wins the CA Los Angeles Mayor Nonpartisan General Election

#DecisionMade: 7:49 PM EST

Follow live results here: https://t.co/1kpbRZUYUv https://t.co/LHwjhhfjjz&mdash; Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2118143603528900679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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She will lead Los Angeles during the final years of US President Donald Trump's presidency and oversee the city's preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics.&nbsp;Often compared with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Raman entered the race at the last minute despite having endorsed Bass for re-election just weeks earlier. Her campaign drew on strategies used by other candidates aligned with the democratic socialist movement. Raman is not new to Los Angeles politics. She first entered the political arena in 2020, when she defeated incumbent City Council member David Ryu. The victory marked the first time in more than a decade that a sitting council member had lost a re-election bid.&nbsp;She also became the first candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to win a seat on the Los Angeles City Council.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-microsoft-google-expands-voluntary-exit-programme-to-employees-in-5-countries-amid-ai-spending-1793847101005">After Microsoft, Google expands voluntary exit programme to employees in 5 countries amid AI spending</a><h2>From Kerala to US politics: Raman's early life and education</h2>Born in Kerala in 1981, Raman moved to the United States at the age of six and became a naturalised American citizen at 22.&nbsp;She graduated from Harvard University before earning a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).&nbsp;Raman founded Transparent Chennai, an urban research firm focused on improving sanitation. After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, she worked with the city's administrative officer and co-founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition.&nbsp;She also served as executive director of Time's Up Entertainment before expanding her political career in Los Angeles.

Kerala-born Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass to win the Los Angeles mayoral race, making history as the city's first Asian-American mayor.

Kerala-born Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, becoming the city's first Asian-American mayor. She is set to take charge as the 44th mayor of Los Angeles, according to Decision Desk HQ. Raman secured 51.1 per cent of the votes, while Bass received 48.33 per cent, the election projection outlet reported. She will also become the second woman to be elected to the city's highest political office.

Kerala-born Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass to win the Los Angeles mayoral race, making history as the city's first Asian-American mayor.

Nithya Raman wins LA mayoral race, becomes city's first Asian-American mayor

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‘This city has opened its arms’: Nithya Raman's emotional reaction after becoming LA mayor | Video

Nithya Raman wins LA mayoral race, becomes city's first Asian-American mayor