Nithya Raman faced backlash during the Los Angeles mayoral debate after her explanation for hiring a consulting firm linked to Graham Platner, a disgraced former Senate candidate, drew groans from the audience.
Nithya Raman, a member of the Los Angeles City Council and affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), encountered significant pushback during a recent mayoral debate. The crowd of Democrats reacted with loud groans and hisses when she struggled to justify her decision to hire the political consulting firm that managed the campaign of Graham Platner, a former Senate candidate from Maine who resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Platner, who also identifies as a socialist, had previously won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maine but withdrew from the race in July following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. His campaign had already been marred by controversy due to inflammatory statements and a tattoo that critics claim resembles a Nazi symbol. Despite his denials of the allegations, Platner’s association with the Democratic Party has become a source of embarrassment for many within the party, particularly after several prominent figures expressed their support for him.
During the debate, the moderator posed a direct question to Raman: “It was reported that you’ve hired the same political consulting firm that managed Graham Platner’s campaign in Maine, who had to resign amidst sexual assault allegations. Is that true? And is that the best choice? And why did you make that decision?”
Raman responded by stating, “Well, I did hire an advertising agency to make my paid ads, who also worked with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s successful campaign.” This statement prompted a wave of discontent from the audience, with several attendees expressing their displeasure audibly.
Despite the backlash, Raman continued her defense, asserting that the firm had been involved in “many, many other successful campaigns across the entire city.” She emphasized her commitment to winning the race, stating, “I’ve retained most of my good campaign staff … we’ve made sure to invest in our team, and I hope that we can win this seat, and I’m going to work as hard as I can to win.”
The moderator pressed further, asking, “Did you weigh the pros and cons of being associated with Graham Platner’s campaign?” Raman replied, “Absolutely. But we wanted to make sure that we were hiring good people to make our ads.” However, she stumbled over her words, saying, “We we we we weighed the issues,” which further fueled the crowd’s discontent.
Following this exchange, Raman criticized incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, also a Democrat, regarding a recent incident involving one of Bass’s advisors. She highlighted a situation where the advisor was simultaneously engaged in crisis communications for a company under scrutiny due to a significant warehouse fire in Los Angeles, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. “That, to me, is a real, real, real problem,” Raman remarked.
The moderator then turned to Bass, asking, “That wasn’t a good look, was it?” Bass agreed, stating, “Absolutely not,” and added that the situation “should not have happened.” However, she questioned the relevance of the inquiry to the previous question posed to Raman, stating, “I guess it’s a question of judgment.” Bass further clarified, “Well, if I had known that person was doing that, that person would not have been advising me. When I realized it, they stopped advising me.”
As the debate unfolded, it became clear that both Raman and Bass are vying for the position of mayor in one of the largest cities in the United States. Raman secured a spot on the November ballot after narrowly defeating Republican candidate Spencer Pratt in a late surge of support.
Fox News Digital reached out to both Raman and Bass for additional comments, as well as to Platner, the DSA, and Mamdani’s office for their perspectives on the matter.
According to Fox News, the dynamics of the debate highlighted the challenges both candidates face as they navigate a competitive political landscape.