Following her defeat in the Los Angeles mayoral election, Karen Bass expressed gratitude for her time in public service and acknowledged the outcome of the race against Nithya Raman as a decision made by the voters. During her first public remarks since conceding, Bass described her tenure as mayor as “the greatest honor possible.”
Speaking to reporters in Vernon, California, Bass reflected on her political journey of over two decades. She emphasized her ongoing commitment to the city, stating, “I wish Nithya Raman the best of wishes because I have always been and will continue to be about the city of Los Angeles and what will help the city prosper.”
In her remarks, Bass noted the wider political context of her loss, comparing it to national trends where voters seek change. She observed, “To me, there was a wave and these waves happen… They just want change, they got it.” This election marked a historic moment as Bass became the first incumbent Los Angeles mayor since Jim Hahn in 2005 to lose a re-election bid.
Before her run for mayor, Bass enjoyed a successful political career, winning every election since she began in the State Assembly and later serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. She made history in 2022 by becoming the first woman elected to lead Los Angeles, defeating businessman Rick Caruso.
Nithya Raman, who posed a significant challenge to Bass’s re-election, gained support from progressive groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America-LA. Raman’s victory places her among a select group of democratically elected socialists leading major U.S. cities, joining peers like Zohran Mamdani in New York and Janeese Lewis George in Washington, D.C.
When asked about her future in politics, Bass expressed skepticism. “It’s doubtful,” she said, reflecting on her devotion to public service without personal aspirations. She added, “It was the culmination of a life’s work. The issues I was working on as mayor are the issues I was working on years ago from the community perspective before I ever envisioned a life in politics.”
