Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is showing signs of political trouble as City Councilwoman Nithya Raman threatens to pull off a Mamdani-style upset in the mayoral race.
Like Zohran Mamdani in New York City, Raman is a left-wing challenger threatening to defeat an establishment-backed candidate.
A new internal poll released by Raman’s campaign found the challenger leading Bass by five points, 44% to 39%, while 17% of voters remained undecided. Hart Research Associates surveyed 600 likely voters in early September. The poll has a four-point margin of error.
Another survey paid for by a group supporting Raman initially showed a close race, with Bass at 38% and Raman at 37%. After voters were given more information about the candidates, Raman moved ahead by seven points, 41% to 34%. That poll had a 3.7-point margin of error.
Bass’s campaign declined to release its own polling.
An outside group backing the mayor pointed to an early August poll that put Bass ahead, 41% to 35%, with nearly a quarter of voters undecided. The same survey found Bass leading 45% to 33% after voters were presented with information about both candidates.
The competing numbers come as Bass and Raman begin spending heavily on campaign advertising across television, streaming services, and social media.
Raman released a Hollywood-themed ad featuring the voice of actor and screenwriter Bob Odenkirk. The commercial shows Raman visiting a taco stand and embracing a dog while presenting her as the candidate of “change” and “affordability.”
Bass responded with a digital ad focused on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. The commercial includes footage of Bass confronting federal agents at MacArthur Park in July 2025.
“When someone comes after your family, you don’t hesitate,” Bass says in the ad. “You stand up. You fight.”
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