LA Councilmember Nithya Raman announces 2026 mayoral run, championing homelessness, rent reform and climate initiatives.
Nithya Raman at her 2026 mayoral campaign launch, emphasizing housing and climate action (Photo: X)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has officially announced she will run for mayor in 2026, entering a growing field of rivals challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and 21 other contenders representing District 4, Raman has been leading on homeless issues, rent stabilization, and climate initiatives, important voices in the city. Her entry into this election showcases growing grassroots support and an interest in progressive policy within the Los Angeles political landscape.
Nithya V. Raman, born July 28, 1981, is an American urban planner, activist, as well as a politician. She is a Democrat and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America party and she has been serving in the Los Angeles City Council since 2020. She caused a major upset in 2020 when she won the election by narrowly defeating incumbent councilman David Ryu in a close race.
She received a Bachelor's degree in political theory at Harvard University as well as a Master's degree in urban planning at MIT. She also founded Transparent Chennai, a research firm that focuses on urban sanitation improvement in India.
Born in Kerala, India then she moved to the United States when she was six years old and she later became a naturalized American citizen when she was twenty-two. She is a married woman to a screenwriter of TV shows, Vali Chandrasekaran and they have twin children, Karna and Kaveri. She lives in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.
| Year | Election | Opponent(s) | Result | Vote % |
| 2020 | LA City Council District 4 Primary | David Ryu, Sarah Kate Levy | Advanced to runoff | 40.8% |
| 2020 | LA City Council District 4 Runoff | David Ryu | Won | 52.87% |
| 2024 | LA City Council District 4 Re-election | Ethan Weaver, Levon Baronian | Won outright | 50.6% |
Nithya Raman estimated net worth is not publicly disclosed; largely derived from public service and nonprofit leadership while Average annual salary as a City Councilmember is $98,740 (range: $86,348–$112,977).
