LA Left-Wing Party Recommends Nithya Raman for Mayor

After months of remaining mum on support in a race involving two Progressive candidates, the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America quietly muscled its way into the mayoral primary.

The group’s entry into a race that’s been anything but run-of-the-mill has it pitching a recommendation in favor — rather than a full endorsement — of Councilmember Nithya Raman over housing advocate Rae Huang in its voter guide.

The recommendation offered a subtle way into what some see as the most important mayoral race in several years for the city, as incumbent Karen Bass fends off a field of hopefuls that’s seen reality TV star Spencer Pratt rise in the polls, while a former supporter of the mayor, Raman, made an 11th-hour bid for the seat. Rounding out the top five are tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and Huang.

The group did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday on its latest stance.

The DSA-LA said in March it would not endorse a candidate unless it was petitioned and then voted on by members. The Raman recommendation comes as an appeal “to vote tactically for mayor in the jungle primary, given Pratt’s candidacy,” the voter guide said.

The admission in some ways legitimizes Pratt’s bid, with the Pacific Palisades resident polling second at 22 percent support to Karen Bass’ 30 percent in Wednesday’s Emerson College Polling results.

Raman wasn’t far behind in the Emerson primary election survey, with 19 percent, as Miller and Huang nabbed 7 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Splitting votes

Within the local DSA ranks, membership was split on which way to go. An unofficial poll showed 49.8 percent support for Raman and 41.7 percent for Huang. A little over 1 percent of members backed Bass.

The group cast Raman as having a “sometimes rocky” relationship with left-leaning groups and a track record of “contradictions.” Raman’s support of tenant protections, amid her push to amend Measure United to House L.A., the city’s so-called mansion tax on all real property, were examples of what the group cast as examples of a patchy voting record.

If anyone thought Presbyterian minister and Housing Now organizer Huang would duck out and back Raman to bolster the progressive vote, they’re wrong for now.

Huang told local photographer Jonathan Hale in an interview posted Tuesday that she intends to stay in the race.

“I do not believe that I am splintering the Progressive vote because, ultimately, at the end of the day, I would not consider Nithya to be a Progressive candidate. Full stop,” she said, characterizing Raman as a neo-liberal. “I do see her as continuing to be a part of the establishment.”

Bass has raised $1.8 million since April 18, driven by several political action committee donations, according to an analysis of Los Angeles City Ethics Commission filings.

Miller is coming in close, with $1.5 million raised since mid-April, with the majority coming from a personal contribution. That’s followed by Pratt with over $728,000, Raman with more than $135,000, and $23,000 pulled in by Huang since the April deadline to report contributions.