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Poll Shows Nithya Raman Leading Karen Bass 47%–39%

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026, 06:01 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass seeks a second term against City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
A UC Berkeley poll shows Raman ahead 47% to 39%, an eight-point lead.
Bass cites a 47% drop in murders and a 50% drop in shooting victims from Oct 22 2022 to Oct 22 2026.
Raman proposes faster housing permits and a dedicated tenant-assistance office.
Rick Caruso will vote for Bass, praising her cooperation after the 2025 Pacific Palisades fire.

History

After Tom Bradley’s two-decade tenure ended with his 1993 retirement, Republican businessman Richard Riordan won the open mayoral race, spending $4.2 million and running on a crime-focused platform. Decades later, incumbent Democrat Karen Bass, who highlights public-safety gains, faces progressive challenger Nithya Raman in the 2025/2026 mayoral contest, reflecting Los Angeles’s enduring emphasis on crime reduction.

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Historical Context

After Tom Bradley’s two-decade tenure ended with his 1993 retirement, Republican businessman Richard Riordan won the open mayoral race, spending $4.2 million and running on a crime-focused platform. Decades later, incumbent Democrat Karen Bass, who highlights public-safety gains, faces progressive challenger Nithya Raman in the 2025/2026 mayoral contest, reflecting Los Angeles’s enduring emphasis on crime reduction.

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