Nithya Raman Leads Karen Bass in Los Angeles Mayoral Poll

A poll released Wednesday by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times shows Councilmember Nithya Raman leading incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November 3 mayoral runoff. Raman holds 39% support among likely voters compared to 28% for Bass, though a remarkably high 33% remain undecided.

The survey reveals a generational divide, with Raman dominating voters under 50 and Bass leading among those 65 and older. Bass faces a 63% unfavorable rating, driven in part by her response to the 2025 Palisades fire, which killed 12 people. The high number of undecided voters is largely attributed to supporters of Spencer Pratt, who finished third in the June primary; 63% of his former voters have not yet chosen a candidate.

Bass's campaign dismissed the results as an outlier poll, arguing that the survey undercounts working-class families and seniors. The campaign also criticized Raman's views on homeless encampments as out-of-step. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Protective League accused Raman of pledging to implement socialist policies through the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that has endorsed Raman. Raman's campaign has countered by criticizing Bass for accepting police union funding during a fiscal emergency.