Make California Post a Preferred Source Nithya Raman’s win in the Los Angeles mayoral race marked a milestone for the Democratic Socialists of America — but she may not be lefty enough for some members of the movement.
The Long Beach chapter of the DSA issued a lengthy statement Friday warning the mayor-elect needs to govern like a “true democratic socialist” — or “we’ll bring the fight to her.”
While Long Beach is its own city, the chapter says its jurisdiction extends into the southernmost parts of LA. The group claimed Raman owed her victory to the chapter and other DSA members.
“Her association with DSA gave voters the confidence to elect her to lead Los Angeles, because DSA’s name is now synonymous with a new kind of politics,” the chapter wrote.
Now, Raman owes it to the group to fully embrace the DSA priorities, including tenant protections, housing, non-police public safety and pro-labor commitments, the chapter wrote.
Members noted that they don’t exactly trust the mayor-elect to follow through on their policies.
“We have to be honest about another thing. Raman’s record on Palestine, policing and special interests has given us pause,” the chapter wrote. “What many voters don’t seem to realize is that Raman has shown reluctance to fully commit to DSA’s values.”
The Long Beach chapter blasted Raman for not doing enough to intervene in the city’s “economic support for a genocidal apartheid state” and for proposing reforms to the city’s mansion tax that the chapter views as too friendly to developers.
The most headline-grabbing issue has been Raman’s promise to replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell — misspelled by the chapter as “McDonald” its post — “who has notably collaborated with ICE,” the group wrote.
Since winning, Raman has softened her stance and signaled McDonnell may keep his job — “a major concern” for the DSA chapter.
“Our support for Raman comes with concerns,” the chapter wrote. “It’s a partnership built on accountability.”
While Raman is a member of the DSA, her relationship with the movement has not always been friendly.
A few days before the election, she retained her DSA endorsement by a single vote from the group after a bitter feud over her shifting stance on boycotting Israel.
The mayor-elect’s campaign has downplayed the idea that she owes her victory to the DSA, citing the support of other allies like labor unions.
“I just don’t want the interest in DSA to overshadow the real work that those partners did,” Ian Manheimer, her campaign manager, told the New York Times.
The California Post contacted Raman’s campaign for comment.
