Nithya Raman faces committee removal amid LA mayoral race

Los Angeles mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are facing escalating tensions amid a shifting political landscape. Nithya Raman, a City Councilwoman and Democratic Socialist candidate, has accused city leaders of political retaliation after losing her position as chair of the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee. The committee was recently split into two separate panels, and Raman will not chair either. Raman claims the move is an attempt by Mayor Bass and her allies to punish her for challenging the administration’s homelessness spending and running against the incumbent.

City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson denied the retaliation claims, stating the split was intended to allow the council to better address specific policy questions for each issue. Meanwhile, a new poll by Median Strategies shows Mayor Bass holding a double-digit lead over Raman in the November runoff. The poll indicates Bass leads 50.2% to 38.4%, bolstered significantly by voters of eliminated candidate Spencer Pratt, 85.2% of whom reportedly favor Bass over Raman. Bass maintains strong support in South LA and the San Fernando Valley.