Poll Shows Nithya Raman Leading Karen Bass in LA Mayoral Race

<p>A new poll indicates that Los Angeles Council member Nithya Raman has opened a double-digit lead over Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, with six weeks remaining until the election on November 3. The poll, conducted by the University of California Berkeley Institute of Government Studies and the Los Angeles Times, shows Raman with 39% support among likely voters, while Bass has 28%. A third of voters remain undecided.</p><p>Mark DiCamillio, the poll director, noted, "It's extraordinarily unusual to see this many undecided voters at this point in the race." The survey suggests that many undecided voters were previously supporters of Spencer Pratt, an independent candidate who was eliminated in the primary after receiving 26% of the vote.</p><p>In the primary, Bass and Raman finished first and second with 34% and 29% of the vote, respectively. The poll found that 63% of Pratt's supporters are undecided, with 22% favoring Bass and 16% supporting Raman.</p><p>Pratt commented on social media, "I told everyone that if you don’t vote for me, Raman will beat Bass. That’s why she entered the race 10 minutes before the clerk's office closed. She knew I was gonna destroy Bass 1-on-1. Good luck LA." He also stated, "Raman is Karen's karma. Stabbed in the back by the commie she campaigned for... Good lesson to all you democrats: NEVER trust the DSA. Socialists have no morals. They'll gut you, too."</p><p>The poll indicates that Bass has a 63% unfavorable rating among LA voters, with only 28% viewing her positively. In contrast, 40% of voters have a favorable view of Raman, while 39% view her unfavorably. The survey also highlighted a generational gap, with Raman leading among voters aged 18 to 39, while Bass has support among those 65 and older.</p><p>Raman received the endorsement of the DSA's LA chapter and is backed by several local unions. Bass, a former state lawmaker and U.S. House member, is supported by members of Congress and state legislators as well as LA County officials.</p><p>The survey, conducted online, questioned 2,150 likely LA voters between September 15 and 20, with a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.</p><p>Raman remarked on the poll's release, stating, "Big news! In the latest Berkeley/LA Times poll, we’ve surged ahead of Mayor Bass with an 11 point lead. This poll reflects the momentum we’re seeing on the ground. Angelenos are ready for change and want to see a City That Works. But we can’t take our foot off the gas!" Meanwhile, Bass responded, "One outlier poll which got the June primary wrong, means very little with 40 days to go. This is going to be a close race, and we're in it to win. Let's get to work!"