Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman is desperately backpedaling from her former “defund the police” rhetoric in a dramatic campaign U-turn that could alienate her far-left base.
The Democratic socialist city councilwoman — who previously pushed to slash police funding during the height of 2020 activism — is now publicly abandoning the controversial stance as she battles incumbent Karen Bass and reality TV personality Spencer Pratt in the increasingly heated race for City Hall.
Confronted by CNN’s Jessica Dean on Saturday over her striking policy flip, Raman sought to reframe herself as newly focused on public safety.
“Well, I think we need to be able to respond to calls for help. Public safety is incredibly important, and our police force has shrunk significantly,” Raman said.
Dean cut straight to the point: “So you no longer believe in defunding police?”
“No,” Raman replied.
Pressed on what prompted the sudden reversal, Raman insisted the city’s public safety demands forced her hand.
“I think we need to be able to ensure that the city can respond to calls for service, and we have to make sure that we are able to respond to calls for help around public safety issues,” she said. “And I think in order to do that at this moment with our response system, we need to be able to maintain the size of our police force.”
Raman’s opportunely timed policy reversal follows months of gradually softening her once-unyielding position. Days after launching her campaign in February, she announced support for maintaining current LAPD staffing levels.
Her political about-face quickly handed Pratt fresh ammunition, who blasted Raman as the poster child for convenience-driven politics.
“Nithya Raman is a perfect example,” Pratt said in a video posted to X. “When defunding the police was trendy with her base, she leaned in. When activists demanded it, she rolled with the mob. Now that families are less safe and too afraid to walk around their own neighborhoods, suddenly she’s against it. How is anyone supposed to trust her?”
An LA City Councilmember since 2020, Raman has increasingly come under fire as voter frustrations over crime and homelessness continue to dominate the race.
Pratt has relentlessly attacked both Raman and Bass over public safety concerns, while also accusing Bass of failing Angelenos during the catastrophic wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles in early 2025.
The fallout from Raman’s U-turn may already be taking a political toll.
Kalshi prediction markets showed Bass leading Saturday with a 49% chance of victory, Pratt climbing to 29%, and Raman nosediving to 18% — a stunning collapse after she held a commanding 50% lead just one week earlier before the candidates’ latest debate, reported Mediaite.
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