Los Angles Mayoral candidate Nithya Raman dissolved into tears as she fell behind Republican candidate Spencer Pratt in the Los Angeles mayoral race on Tuesday evening.
Raman unexpectedly announced her campaign in February after previously endorsing incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass. The Indian immigrant pitched her campaign primarily to left-wing voters who disapproved of Bass’ leadership.
Bass will advance to the runoff election in November, according to the Associated Press (AP) Wednesday. Bass has earned 34.8% of the votes as of publication.
Pratt stood in second place with 30.4% of votes, over eight points above Raman, who had only received 22.3%, as of publication. Sixty percent of the votes have been counted, and the AP has not yet confirmed the second candidate in the November runoff. (RELATED: Kelsey Grammer Reveals Nickname For Karen Bass As He Endorses Spencer Pratt For LA Mayor)
Raman smiled as she thanked her supporters and her husband after she dropped to third place. But she began weeping as she addressed her ten-year-old twins.
“I hope you know that everything every person in this room is fighting for in this campaign has been about building a city that’s worthy of you, and every child in this city,” she said through tears.
Los Angeles deserves a mayor that doesn’t drag their feet.
Karen Bass promised change. Instead, Angelenos got delays.
It took years to appoint a film liaison. Our animal shelters went years without stable leadership. Whenever our city needs urgency, City Hall moves too slowly.… pic.twitter.com/ypG9Q0kD5r
— Nithya Raman (@nithyavraman) June 1, 2026
Raman is a Los Angeles city councilwoman and a Democratic socialist. Her website highlights several issues, including homelessness.
“The inability to equitably and affordably house all of our residents is the compounding moral crisis of our time,” a statement on her website under the “Housing for All” section reads.
She secured over $4 million in state funding to clean up a 19-mile-long stretch of homeless encampments along the Los Angeles River, The California Post reported. Yet almost two years after she obtained the the state grant, the money remains unspent, according to May 27 records cited by the outlet.
About 90 people continue to live in makeshift shelters along the river, The California Post reported. Emergency personnel found a dead body in one of the tents on April 2, according to the outlet.
A spokesperson for Raman pointed to “administrative and contracting processes” in a statement to the outlet regarding the encampment.
“Councilmember Nithya Raman has consistently treated homelessness as the urgent crisis it is, which is why it is deeply frustrating when critical resources get caught in administrative and contracting processes,” the spokesperson told the outlet.
“We remain focused on making sure this funding translates into real outreach, real housing placements, and visible progress for both unhoused Angelenos and the surrounding community,” the spokesperson added, in part.
In her Tuesday speech, Raman praised a vision of Los Angles “where we stand up against ICE, where we show up for our gay and trans siblings.”
Raman has not yet conceded the race as of publication.
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