Karen Bass and Nithya Raman in Tight Race for L.A. Mayor

Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are in a tight race for L.A. mayor in early returns, and the race may not be called for days.

Nevertheless, at Raman’s election-night event in the plaza of the Greek Theatre, the mood was buoyant as the crowd watched Democrat wins steadily march across the South and East.

“I can’t believe South Carolina,” a young male Raman supporter enthused to his crowd, which milled around the open-air space outside the historic venue tucked into the Los Feliz foothills. Giant-screen TVs lined the plaza, offering election updates, though virtually everyone was following the polls on phone apps. The young crowd roared at the news of Democrat Gina Hinojosa’s historic upset victory in the Texas gubernatorial race.

Early returns from Los Angeles showing Raman in a near dead heat with incumbent Karen Bass were seen as a positive sign by Raman’s faithful supporters. The crowd was packed with man buns, UAW T-shirts, UCLA sweatshirts and Dodger caps. The conversation focused on the future of Democratic Socialists of America and what the blue wave means for this rising progressive movement that Raman has been connected to in the past.

Raman campaign manager Ian Manheimer tried to pep up the crowd around 8:45 pm, but there was still no sign of the candidate herself.

No matter what happens after the votes are counted, he assured the crowd that their full-throated support for Raman’s abbreviated run for mayor has made a difference. “You have pushed the city forward,” he said.

Elsewhere, Bass was expected to speak at the Los Angeles County Democratic Party celebration, where Mark Ramos, chair of the L.A. County Democratic Party, shouted, “It’s a good night to be a Democrat!” upon entering the election event around 7:30 p.m. Bass held a narrow, 1-point lead in the initial ballots — which could be precarious given how well Raman performed with late-arriving ballots in the primary.

At the party, a group of labor leaders led supporters in chants of “four more years.” “Karen Bass deserves four more years, and that’s why organized labor is kicking ass for Karen Bass, and we will continue to kick ass for Karen Bass until she is reelected,” said Yvonne Wheeler, the chair of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

The Kalshi odds, which had been slightly favoring Bass before the first ballots were counted, tipped heavily in Raman’s favor afterward. But Bass’ allies sought to convey an upbeat note.

“The mayor — her closing has been really, really strong,” said Mark Ramos, chair of the county party, which endorsed Bass. “I think we’re going to get a good return when those ballots start begin to get counted. I think the mayor got a real wind at her back the last couple weeks.”

Bass has faced a considerable challenge in winning back voters who are upset about homelessness, civic disorder, and her handling of the 2025 Palisades fire. She has sought to acknowledge mistakes while warning that Raman, a lefty councilwoman, would be worse.

Raman, for her part, has cast herself as an outsider going up against a City Hall establishment that is mired in self-serving mediocrity. She has attacked Bass’ record in office and argued that L.A. should set a higher standard.

Raman has been critical of Bass’ handling of the exodus of film and TV jobs, saying that Bass was late to appoint a liaison to the industry and noting the appointee is not full-time. She has pledged to staff a full film office to serve the industry.

Both candidates have also said they will champion unlimited film and TV tax credits at the state level, and push for a federal tax incentive to put the U.S. on equal footing with countries abroad.

Raman had the backing of the Writers Guild of America West, of which her husband is a member; Bass was endorsed by the Hollywood Teamsters, IATSE and the American Federation of Musicians Local 47.