Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman sought to distance herself from the Democratic Socialists of America on Tuesday, even as she acknowledged the group’s backing in her bid to unseat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. The two Democrats appeared at a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation Los Angeles, where questions over Israel and Gaza dominated the exchange.
Raman, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, told attendees that her allegiance lies with Angelenos, not any political organization. “My commitment to you today, my commitment to Angelenos across the board, is that my independence will always be paramount,” she said. “My focus will be on what I believe is best for Angelenos and my work, not just in this run for mayor, but in my vision for Los Angeles, is of a city that feels better for every single one of its residents.”
She described the DSA as part of a “big-tent progressive coalition” but insisted that coalition includes groups she does not always agree with. Her remarks came after she defended an appearance on the streaming platform Twitch with left-wing commentator Hasan Piker, during which she said Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. At the forum, Raman said she relied on descriptions from international experts to arrive at that conclusion. “I used it because I felt compelled to speak out about issues that we saw, and images that are coming, the targeting of hospitals, the deaths of children,” she said.
Moderator Alex Cohen pressed Raman on her use of what she called a “highly inflammatory term,” then asked Bass whether she shared that view. Bass replied, “No, I don’t,” and recalled knowing people who survived the Holocaust. “My job is to keep Angelenos safe, and I think there is a lot of divisiveness that happens, and I don’t want to see that happen at all,” the mayor added.
Bass also faced scrutiny over her handling of the Palisades and Eaton fires that devastated the city in January 2025, as well as a warehouse fire in Boyle Heights last June. “Let me tell you, I could be here all day telling you what I’ve learned from the Palisades [fire], but I will tell you that that will forever go down as one of the worst moments that I ever experienced,” she said. “I mean, to me, not being here was very, very painful.”
The mayor was in Accra as part of a U.S. delegation for the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Mahama when the fires erupted. The city’s Emergency Management Department had warned her aides the day before she departed of “high confidence in damaging winds and elevated fire conditions occurring next week,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Voter anger over her absence fueled support for former reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the primary; Pratt lost his home in the Palisades fire.
A University of California, Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released last week showed Raman leading Bass 39 percent to 28 percent. The race has also drawn attention to broader debates over free expression in Los Angeles and the role of judicial independence in local politics.
With the primary behind them, both candidates are now courting a diverse electorate that includes a significant Jewish constituency. Raman’s balancing act—embracing DSA support while asserting independence—reflects the tensions within the progressive coalition. Bass, meanwhile, is banking on her record and a message of stability as she seeks a second term.
