Challenger Nithya Raman has a double-digit percentage points lead over incumbent Karen Bass in the race for Los Angeles mayor, according to a Berkeley IGS/LA Times poll released Wednesday.
Councilmember Raman, who placed second to Bass in the June primary, was favored by 39% of likely Los Angeles voters with Bass at 28%, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times.
The poll found that 33% of voters remain undecided ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, which will include races for Congress, several ballot measures, and local, county and state office contests.
The poll also asked likely Los Angeles voters about the candidates’ favorability ratings. Bass had a 63% unfavorable rating and a 28% favorable rating, according to the poll, which found 9% of respondents had no opinion.
As for Raman, endorsed by the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, the poll showed her favorability rating at 40% and her unfavorable rating at 39%. Twenty-one percent had no opinion.
“DSA is obviously a very far left, very progressive organization, a very progressive ethos,” said USC Prof. Dan Schnur, who teaches courses in politics, communications and leadership. “But a lot of what drives it, also, is the need of so many young people in particular for generational changes and an attitude that it’s time for their side of the political spectrum to fight back more aggressively than they have in the past.
“What I’d say about this particular race, is that Raman, while she is a DSA member, she’s not running or winning this race because she’s more progressive than Karen Bass. She’s running because she represents dramatic change. That, more than left-right ideology, is what’s propeller her forward.”
The survey was conducted online with a sample of 2,150 likely city voters between Sept. 15 and Sept. 20. The poll had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points.
Raman scheduled an afternoon news conference to discuss the poll.
“Today is an exciting day for the campaign,” Raman said. “It reflects the momentum we are seeing across our city. Angelenos are ready for change. They are ready for a city that works as hard as they do.”
Raman noted that one-third of voters are undecided.
“My ask is simple,” Raman said. “Take a look at our campaign and give me an opportunity to earn your vote.”
The mayor’s campaign released a statement highlighting previous polls, which had Bass leading the race. The mayor’s campaign also took issue with online-only surveys, saying they undercount working-class families, seniors and non-English speaking communities that turn out on Election Day.
“One outlier poll which got the June primary wrong isn’t reflective of the energy we see when talking to voters every day and what every other poll indicates — this is going to be a close race,” Bass campaign spokesman Alex Stack said in a statement. “Our campaign is continuing to do our job: contrasting Mayor Bass’ record of delivering results on housing, public safety, and neighborhood investment with Nithya Raman’s out-of-step views on allowing encampments near schools and failing to show up for her constituents.”
Bass finished with 34% of the vote in the June primary election with Raman finishing second, good enough to join the November runoff, at 29%. Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt finished third at 25.5%.
Raman, 45, held a significant edge among younger voters.
Sixty-six percent of likely voters ages 18 to 29 favored Raman to just 4% for Bass, according to the poll. Raman also held a double-digit percentage point advantage over Bass among likely voters ages 30 to 39 at 64% to 12%. Among voters 50 to 64, Raman had a 35% to 33% lead, according to the poll.
The poll also asked voters about how Mayor Bass handled the 2025 Palisades Fire. Fifty-six percent of likely voters said Bass did a poor or very poor job of responding to the deadly wildfire. Fourteen percent of likely voters said she did either an excellent or a good job.
