"The Madani of LA" on Her Way to the Mayor's Office — But the Socialists Are Standing in Her Way

Nithya Raman, candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, is being required by the Democratic Socialists of America to explicitly commit to supporting BDS and opposing arms shipments to Israel, or else she will lose the organization's backing. In a recent poll, she and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass each have 40% support.

Five days before the Los Angeles mayoral election, Nithya Raman, dubbed "the Madani of LA," is struggling not only against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass but also against the socialist organization that brought her to power. The DSA leadership demands that she explicitly commit to supporting BDS and opposing arms shipments to Israel through LAX, or else it will withdraw its support. Raman, who has accused Israel of genocide, has included BDS among what she calls legitimate protest measures. In a recent poll, Raman and Bass each have 40% support. Meanwhile, in Florida, socialist candidate Angie Nixon, who has also spoken out against Israel, has the backing of Obama and Sanders but faces difficulties with moderate and Jewish voters.