Nithya Raman leads Los Angeles mayoral race as votes are counted
The Thrissur-born Democrat has secured 51.67 per cent of the votes counted so far against incumbent Karen Bass.
Indian-American Nithya Raman has taken a lead in the Los Angeles mayoral race, according to a report by The Indian Express. As of Wednesday, the 45-year-old Democrat had secured 51.67 per cent of the votes counted, while incumbent Democrat Karen Bass held 48.33 per cent.
With approximately 67 per cent of the expected votes counted, the race remains too close to call. If she wins, Raman will become the first mayor of South Asian descent in Los Angeles.
Raman, who was born in Thrissur, Kerala, expressed optimism during the counting process on Tuesday. "I’m hopeful. I’m very hopeful,"
Raman told a crowd, adding that she is superstitious.
Raman's family in Kerala expressed pride in her progress. Professor Devanarayanan, a relative in Thrissur, said the family migrated to the US when Raman was in Class I and noted that she can follow Malayalam.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor described the development as a victory for a "daughter of Thiruvananthapuram" in a post on X. He also noted that with Zohran Mamdani in New York, two of America's largest cities will be run by people of Indian origin.
Raman's mother, Sudha Kechery, told relatives to wait until the final results are released before celebrating.