What Nithya Raman’s victory means for LA

Nithya Raman’s victory in the race for LA mayor has been compared to an earthquake. It could shake the foundations of politics in the city.

After all, Raman is a far-left socialist. She is a second-term City Council member with no executive experience. She only arrived in LA in 2013. 

Raman was on nobody’s radar when she declared her candidacy — after she had already endorsed incumbent mayor Karen Bass.

She had almost no support from organized labor, which holds many levers of power. One union leader called Raman a “political opportunist.”

Well, she certainly made the most of her opportunity.

She was carried to victory by a nationwide “blue wave” — but also by a “red” rebellion against the Democratic Party establishment.

With Raman’s victory, socialists will control the two largest and most important cities in America.

In New York, Zohran Mamdani made a lot of promises — like free buses — that he has had to break.

His attempt to “tax the rich” was (temporarily) blocked by the courts, after he shamelessly published a list of thousands of innocent homeowners, most of whom were not subject to his “pied-à-terre” tax on second homes.

And he antagonized the Jewish community, amid a wave of antisemitism.

No one knows exactly what Raman wants to do.

She has said she wants to fire LAPD chief Jim McDonnell, but then backed away from that promise. It’s not clear what she will do, and the stakes are high, with the Olympics looming.

She supported Measure ULA, the “mansion tax,” then said she wanted to reform it after new housing construction ground to a halt. But she retreated from that effort, too.

It’s likely that Raman will be seen as a weak mayor. There could be chaos at City Hall.

We could see members of the City Council stepping forward to flex their muscle. Special interest groups, city agencies, and big businesses could start jockeying for position.

But it’s also possible that the center of power could shift — from City Hall to the politburo or  “Steering Committee” of the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter, which is largely an unknown entity.

Raman is said to have bright, talented, and energetic staff members — but most of them are in the shadows, except Jeff Millman, a campaign aide known for clashing with journalists.

The coming days will be crucial. Raman will face pressure to name key staff and set out a clear agenda — which she carefully avoided doing during the campaign.

One thing is clear: Karen Bass has been held accountable for her failures in dealing with the wildfires and homelessness.

But Raman, too, could be swamped by the city’s problems.

Taking potshots from the outside is easy enough. Running a major city is a real responsibility.

If that happens, she will be remembered less as an earthquake, and more as an El Niño tidal wave wave — making a huge impact for a short while, but then receding, leaving the wreckage behind.

Joel Pollak is Opinion editor of the California Post.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters