How Nithya Raman Became a Last-Minute Candidate Who Made the LA Mayor Runoff

—Nithya Raman's path to the Los Angeles mayoral runoff defied conventional campaign wisdom: she entered the race late, was widely dismissed by political insiders, and ran a grassroots campaign against a sitting incumbent with far more name recognition and fundraising. Raman built her base among renters, housing advocates, and progressive activists frustrated with Bass's fire response and management of the homelessness crisis. She overtook Spencer Pratt in the final days of counting to secure the second runoff spot. Her campaign relied on door-to-door organizing and social media outreach rather than traditional political infrastructure. The November matchup against Bass will test whether her coalition can broaden beyond its progressive core.