Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has emerged as one of the biggest winners of California’s closely watched 2026 primary elections, advancing to a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
Raman, who became the first South Asian woman elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, edged out reality television personality Spencer Pratt in the dramatic vote count.
Who is Nithya Raman's husband?
Raman is married to Vali Chandrasekaran, a television screenwriter and producer known for his work in Hollywood comedy. Chandrasekaran has written and produced episodes for several popular television series, including the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and Modern Family.
Chandrasekaran has been nominated for several Emmys, Writers’ Guild Awards and NAACP Image Awards.
Chandrasekaran describes himself as a Bob Dylan fan. According to the writer's blog, “He has a mental disorder that causes him to listen to and talk too much about Bob Dylan.”
{{/usCountry}}Chandrasekaran describes himself as a Bob Dylan fan. According to the writer's blog, “He has a mental disorder that causes him to listen to and talk too much about Bob Dylan.”
{{/usCountry}}Chandrasekaran and Raman are both graduates of Harvard University, where they first crossed paths before pursuing their respective careers.
The couple lives in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood, an area represented by Raman during her tenure on the City Council. In his blog, Chandrasekaran wrote, “He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and twin elementary-schoolers.”
How many children does Nithya Raman have?
Raman and Chandrasekaran are parents to twins, Karna and Kaveri. The Los Angeles councilmember has frequently described herself as a working mother and has said her experiences raising children in the city shaped her focus on housing affordability, homelessness and services for working families.
In campaign materials, Raman has described herself as a "working mom" whose experiences navigating Los Angeles helped shape her decision to enter public life.
During a recent online question-and-answer session, Raman referred to herself as the mother of 10-year-old twins while discussing issues affecting families across Los Angeles.
From India to Los Angeles politics
Born in Kerala in 1981, Raman moved to the United States with her family at the age of six. She later earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard before completing a master's degree in urban planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before entering politics, Raman worked as an urban planner and community activist. She also spent time in India, where she founded a civic research organization focused on transparency and urban governance. Her work on homelessness eventually led to the creation of the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, which became a springboard for her political career.
In 2020, Raman defeated incumbent council member David Ryu and became the first candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America to win a seat on the Los Angeles City Council.
Mayoral race enters decisive phase
Associated Press and NBC News projections show Raman advancing to the runoff after overtaking Spencer Pratt in late ballot counting. The top two finishers advance to a runoff this fall because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote.
Even though Pratt trailed Bass on election night, Raman has surpassed Pratt thanks to subsequent Democratic-leaning vote totals.
If elected, Raman would become the first South Asian mayor of Los Angeles, adding another historic milestone to her career.