Nitya Raman’s Mayoral Run Sparks Controversy
Nitya Raman, the Socialist Party’s candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, was seen leaving her $1.9 million home on Monday as critics labeled her a “skillful manipulator” adept at dodging public inquiries.
When approached by the California Post, Raman declined to discuss her positions on several issues promoted by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), such as whether she supports turning privately owned homes into public housing.
Susan Collins, a former candidate for the City Council in Los Angeles, claimed that Raman falsely portrays herself as a “practical problem solver,” noting instead that she is not effective at all.
Collins went on to express her belief that Raman is “a master manipulator,” adding that the DSA itself is also manipulative and deceptive.
Raman’s three-bedroom, three-bathroom house in Silver Lake, bought for $1.25 million in 2014, has gained value and is currently estimated at $1.9 million, according to public records. This luxurious property seems at odds with the DSA’s push for long-term housing reform, which advocates for a transition from privately owned housing to public control.
While Raman does not openly back the idea of abolishing rent, many observers doubt she will clarify her position anytime soon.
Scott Myers, an attorney from Los Angeles, pointed out that if one thinks Mayor Karen Bass is insulated from public scrutiny, Raman is likely even more so. He criticized her for avoiding public questions, stating, “She’s a master of evasion.”
Raman announced her candidacy just hours before the deadline for filings, taking many by surprise, especially since she had been an ally of Mayor Karen Bass in previous elections.
Myers raised concerns about the DSA potential using Raman’s candidacy to propel their agenda further.
“She’s much more radical than her rhetoric suggests, which is already quite radical,” he remarked.
The 3,500-member DSA has committed to elect “new socialist leaders” in Los Angeles as part of their “Democratic Socialist Program of Los Angeles.”
The organization aims to disrupt the existing power held by conventional political coalitions to enact substantial change for the working class in the city.
Collins, who competed against Raman in 2020, suggested that Raman had been prepared for such a role, noting her advantages as a woman, a person of color, and her Ivy League background—attributes she believed made Raman a fitting candidate for the DSA.
Having moved away from the city post-Raman’s election, Collins accused her of using administrative excuses to sidestep the issue of clearing dangerous encampments, often blaming police inaction.
Raman had been a staunch opponent of a city ordinance that disallowed sitting, sleeping, or lying on sidewalks in hazardous areas, including those within proximity to schools and daycare centers. In 2022, she was among only three council members to vote against a law banning encampments near schools, viewing it as ineffective.
The DSA’s Los Angeles office did not provide comments regarding any financial backing or endorsements for Raman’s campaign.
Interestingly, Raman isn’t the only DSA member aiming for the mayor’s office. Ray Huang, a 43-year-old community organizer focused on free public transportation, has likened the trajectories of himself and Raman to those of New York City’s Zoran Mamdani.
Though it might be a long shot for a DSA candidate to dethrone the incumbent, the potential election of someone like Raman has raised concerns among residents, including Myers.
“Her actions could further undermine police morale, promote activist protests, and create chaos,” he warned.
Should Raman win, she may find herself navigating tensions within her own party as Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympics, an event the DSA has opposed through its NOlympics-LA initiative, criticizing the push for the Games as driven by “undemocratic greed” impacting vulnerable communities.
