Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman tussle in first head-to-head debate
Key takeaways
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman faced off Tuesday in a freewheeling 90-minute slugfest, digging at each other over homelessness, police hiring and other major issues.
- The event, hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., began politely enough, with the two candidates exchanging niceties and Raman saying she had “incredible respect” for the mayor.
- Raman said she ran for office out of frustration with the city’s lack of progress on an array of issues — homelessness, housing production and the city’s continuing financial woes, among others.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, left, and City Councilmember Nithya Raman take part in a candidate forum hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. at the Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center on Tuesday night. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times) By David Zahniser and Noah Goldberg May 5, 2026 10:07 PM PT 1 6 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman faced off Tuesday in a freewheeling 90-minute slugfest, digging at each other over homelessness, police hiring and other major issues.
The event, hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., began politely enough, with the two candidates exchanging niceties and Raman saying she had “incredible respect” for the mayor.