The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) endorsed Councilmember Nithya Raman for mayor. This endorsement provides significant support as Raman faces the incumbent, Karen Bass, in the upcoming election on November 3.
The decision to endorse Raman came after she received more than 60% of the vote in an online election held among the DSA’s 6,000 members in the Los Angeles region. Over 1,400 votes were cast, though the exact percentage Raman received remains undisclosed.
DSA is known for promoting policies such as defunding the police and abolishing prisons, which have been controversial and have often clashed with the Democratic Party establishment. Despite this, DSA has seen electoral success recently, including the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York.
Sara Sadhwani, a politics professor at Pomona College, stated, “The growth of DSA has shown a clear movement to the left nationally. A DSA endorsement will be shorthand for how to define Nithya Raman as a candidate both for the establishment in Los Angeles and for Republicans nationally.”
Raman, a DSA member since her first council run in 2020, is leading a group of nine DSA-endorsed candidates for local and federal races this November 3. Tal Levy, from DSA-LA’s electoral politics committee, mentioned that the endorsement came after a 3 to 2 vote recommending Raman, though some concerns remained about her consistency with DSA’s positions.
Despite past support from DSA in her council runs and her legislative achievements, such as strengthening renter protections, Raman’s approval of increased police funding drew criticism. Her actions regarding Measure ULA and her stance on the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack led to disagreements within DSA.
In early 2024, Raman faced censure from DSA for collaborating with a liberal Zionist group, Democrats for Israel-Los Angeles, which caused further tension.
Raman was the first DSA-backed official in L.A., and since then, three more DSA-supported candidates—Hugo Soto-Martínez, Ysabel Jurado, and Eunisses Hernandez—have won council seats and endorsed Bass. Alongside Raman, the DSA slate includes candidates Marissa Roy for city attorney and Estuardo Mazariegos for a council position in South L.A.
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