Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing growing concern from within her own political camp as she battles DSA-backed City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the reelection race. Some Bass allies now privately believe Raman has seized the momentum.
Several Bass supporters and campaign insiders, speaking anonymously to POLITICO, said they have become increasingly uneasy about Raman’s campaign. Their concerns intensified after Raman won endorsements from major labor groups, including the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and Unite Here Local 11, which brings a significant field operation to the race.
“Those are serious unions with people and money. That was a bit surprising,” one Bass ally said. Another supporter offered an even more candid assessment of the contest.
“I think you have to give Nithya the advantage. I really do. I think we could turn that around but the energy is with Nithya, and it’s unfortunate.”
The same ally said anxiety over the race has become a frequent subject among Bass’ political advisers and supporters. “I have a version of this assessment or conversation every 30 minutes. People are very worried about it and focused on it.”
Bass’ chief strategist, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, rejected the suggestion that the campaign is caught off guard, saying the team has consistently viewed the contest as highly competitive.
“We’ve always known that this was going to be a tight race, and so that’s what we’ve been operating on, and it remains so.
“But we continue to see the mayor ahead, especially with her base supporters, which is where we’ve invested a lot of time and energy early on.”
The November runoff was determined in the June primary, when Bass received roughly 34% of the vote and Raman captured about 29%. Spencer Pratt finished with approximately 26%, putting his supporters in position to become a decisive voting bloc.
Political strategist Matt Klink told the California Post that Pratt’s voters could play a central role in shaping the runoff.
“If the Bass team isn’t targeting Pratt voters, especially in the San Fernando Valley, they’re making a mistake of epic proportions,” Klink said.
“A Bass defeat is still very possible. Bass needs to give Pratt voters a reason to vote against Raman. They need to fear Raman more than they dislike Bass,” he added.
Klink, a former Republican consultant who has worked on numerous campaigns, said Pratt has repeatedly criticized Bass and blamed the mayor for Los Angeles’ problems. That leaves Bass with the task of defending her record and presenting an alternative to Pratt’s attacks.
“Spencer Pratt doesn’t like and blames Bass for L.A.’s problems. Pratt also says Raman would be a disaster,” he added. “Bass needs to make that point to Pratt voters: She is not. And time is running out.”
Klink also attributed the perception that Raman has greater campaign energy to what he characterized as a comparatively low-profile operation from Bass.
“The sentiment that Raman has the energy is real, due in large part to the fact that Karen Bass is running a low-activity campaign. While her campaign says they always knew the race would be close, they’re not engaging with voters like it is,” he told the Post, hoping steam picks up just 50 days out from Election Day.
Bass’ campaign has begun sharpening its attacks on Raman, including launching a website and social-media operation branding the councilmember “No Show Nithya” over missed council votes.
The campaign has also amplified criticism from Councilmember Traci Park over Raman’s record in the Pacific Palisades following the devastating 2025 wildfires.
Bass is also campaigning under the shadow of several controversies from her first term.
Her administration has faced continuing scrutiny over homelessness spending and the operations of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
On Tuesday, Bass skipped a House Oversight subcommittee hearing examining federally funded homelessness programs, calling the proceeding politically motivated. Chairman Tim Burchett said he was prepared to consider subpoenas to compel her testimony.
The January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires have likewise remained a major political issue, with Bass facing criticism over her absence from Los Angeles when the fires erupted while she was on a presidential delegation trip to Ghana. Her subsequent clash with then-LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley also became a major flashpoint during her first term.
Raman, meanwhile, has made Bass’ record on homelessness, housing, public services and the city’s response to the fires central to her challenge.
“If the election is a referendum on Bass’s leadership, Raman wins. If it’s a choice between two competing visions, Bass can win but she has to make that case. She’s not doing that now,” Klink added.
