Staff Reports
Nithya Raman’s recent Los Angeles Times interview has blown the lid off a question many Angelenos are asking: who is she really running to represent? One minute she calls the Democratic Socialists of America a “partner.” The next she says she’s “co‑governing” with “everyone.” That’s not clarity. It’s a politician’s dodge dressed up as pluralism.
The LA Times moment: partnership or pledge?
Plain words, slippery meaning
In the interview, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman said, “I see the DSA as a partner for a lot of the work that we’ve done.” When pressed about “co‑governing,” she didn’t say no. Instead she offered: “With everyone, with everyone. Yes. with everyone.” That sounds nice in a coffee shop. It sounds worrying at a podium. Voters should not have to play twenty questions to learn whether their next mayor will answer to neighborhoods or outside activist groups.
Why the LAPD union pounced
Public safety becomes a campaign weapon
Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Police Protective League slammed back fast. The union released a hard‑hitting ad accusing Raman of siding with policies that make encampments bigger and streets less safe. The LAPD union backed that ad with six‑figure spending, arguing that “no child should have to walk to and from school or the park past dangerous encampments.” Whether you trust the union or not, their money and message are shifting this race from ideological theater to real voter concern about homelessness and public safety.
What “co‑governance” might mean — and why that matters
Partnership can look a lot like power-sharing
DSA‑Los Angeles has a policy agenda that includes radical ideas many Angelenos oppose: loosening anti‑camping rules, cutting police budgets, even public‑run businesses and controversial housing policies. Endorsements are not ceremonial. When a candidate celebrates a group as a “partner,” voters should know whether that means formal policy influence. Is “co‑governing” a diplomatic word for letting outside groups set priorities from City Hall? That’s a basic question Raman needs to answer plainly.
Voters deserve a straight answer — and fast
Don’t hide behind “everyone”
If Raman wants to be mayor, she should stop playing coy. Angelenos want concrete plans on homelessness, policing, housing and who gets to call the shots. Saying she’ll “co‑govern with everyone” is an elegant way to avoid saying whether she’ll accept DSA policy demands — or whether she’ll push back. Voters don’t need sermons about unity. They need a clear promise: will the mayor protect neighborhoods and public safety, or will she hand real power to outside activists? That’s the question on the ballot, and it deserves a real answer.
