Karen Bass and Nithya Raman Tied in Tight Los Angeles Mayoral Race
A new poll shows both candidates at 40% support, leaving 19% of likely voters undecided with Election Day approaching.
By Amelia Gupta ·
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released on Wednesday found that 40% of likely Los Angeles voters support incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Another 40% support City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. The remaining 19% of likely voters remain undecided as the city prepares to cast ballots on Tuesday.
The data marks a sharp reversal for Bass. In September, a previous survey from the same institute showed Raman leading by 11 percentage points. At that time, Raman held 39% support while Bass held 28%. The current numbers suggest the race has tightened considerably in the final weeks of the campaign.
Bass is seeking a second term as the leader of the nation's second-largest city. She has positioned herself as the experienced choice, asking voters for four more years to address homelessness, housing affordability, and public safety. Her campaign argues that Raman is not ready for the role and has described the councilwoman as an outsider who does not fully understand the city's history.
Raman, a former ally of Bass, is running on a platform to fix what she calls a broken city. She has criticized Bass for budget-breaking contracts, including a billion-dollar agreement to raise police officer salaries and a costly modernization of the downtown convention center. Raman has outlined plans to increase housing production, lower the cost of living, and support the entertainment industry.
The campaign has featured intense attacks in recent weeks. Bass and independent political action committees have targeted Raman's call to oust LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. They have also questioned her experience managing a city of this size. Raman faced additional scrutiny after her campaign shared a video featuring a leftist influencer. In the clip, Raman urged people to stop fascist liars, followed by images of Bass and McDonnell.
The controversy deepened when Raman referred to the LAPD as being at a gold standard under former Chief Daryl Gates. Gates oversaw the department during the 1991 beating of Rodney King. That incident led to widespread protests and the Los Angeles riots in April 1992. Gates resigned in June 1992 after nearly a year of criticism and was replaced by Willie Williams.
Raman defended her comment by citing Special Order 40, a directive implemented during Gates' tenure that limits police cooperation with immigration enforcement. She later apologized for the remark. The candidates are now competing for undecided voters, with Raman drawing more support from younger demographics and the Democratic Socialists of America local chapter. Bass has stronger backing from older residents and has focused on consolidating support among Black and Latino voters.
The Berkeley poll also noted a split in the independent and progressive base. Bass is receiving more support from voters who backed Spencer Pratt in the June primary. Raman, who defeated Pratt to secure the Democratic nomination, is gaining traction among younger progressives. Both candidates are working to close the 19% gap among undecided voters before the polls close on Tuesday.
