This article criticizes Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), for not answering questions about specific socialist policies from the DSA platform during her campaign to become mayor of Los Angeles. The author argues that while Raman was quick to distance herself from DSA stances on issues like support for Hamas after an attack, she has refused to clarify her position on key DSA proposals such as government expropriation of private property and changes to public safety measures.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Nithya Raman, backed by DSA-LA, is running for mayor of Los Angeles after previously winning City Council seats in 2020 and 2024 with DSA support. Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, she criticized a DSA statement, saying it lacked empathy for Israeli communities and failed to address Hamas's actions. Despite her criticism, Raman remains a member of DSA-LA, which expects its endorsed candidates to commit to its program. The organization pledged to use its full influence behind the candidate they endorse, in this case, Raman. This support raises questions about whether she can distance herself from the organization’s policies while running for mayor.
Written for “Democratic Socialists Controversy” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
That’s not just evasive.
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That → ’ → ?
It’s contemptuous of Los Angeles voters, who have every right to know what someone asking to run their city intends to do with it.
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someone → ’ → it
The DSA has already told voters what it expects of her.
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it → tell → her
Raman isn’t some Democrat who happened to pick up an endorsement from an organization she barely knows.
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she → happen → organization
The organization helped elect her to the City Council in 2020, backed her reelection in 2024 and this month endorsed her campaign for mayor.
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organization → help → mayor
The DSA is pretty clear about what comes with that endorsement.
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what → come → endorsement
“To secure an endorsement and maintain a relationship after endorsement,” its Democratic Socialist Program says, candidates seeking DSA-LA support are expected to “commit to our Program.”
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candidates → secure → Program
That’s not an accusation from Raman’s opponents.
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That → ’ → opponents
That’s the DSA describing its own rules.
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That → ’ → rules
Before choosing a candidate in this year’s mayoral race, DSA-LA promised it would “throw the full weight of our power” behind whoever received its endorsement.
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whoever → choose → endorsement
They chose Nithya Raman.
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They → choose → Raman
So what does the DSA expect its endorsed candidates to commit to?
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candidates → expect → expect
DSA-LA calls for government to “expropriate privately owned housing” and advocates the “creative use of eminent domain” to move housing out of private ownership.
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government → call → ownership
It supports universal rent control, vacancy taxes and automatic rent freezes and eviction moratoriums during declared emergencies.
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It → support → emergencies
Then there’s public safety: The DSA program calls for reducing the number of sworn officers and replacing sworn personnel with civilians for traffic enforcement and mental-health interventions.
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program → ’ → enforcement
It supports redirecting police funding elsewhere, decriminalizing drug use and funding safe-injection sites.
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It → support → sites
DSA-LA also wants city-owned businesses in industries including groceries, restaurants and internet service, fare-free public transportation and expanded noncitizen voting in local elections.
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LA → want → elections
These aren’t warnings about what socialists might someday try to do; they’re policies DSA-LA has put in writing.
uncertain
LA → try → writing
Does that mean Raman agrees with every word?
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Raman → mean → word
That’s why the California Post asked her.
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Post → ’ → her
The Post sent Raman’s campaign 16 straightforward questions drawn from the DSA agenda.
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Post → send → agenda
Does she support using eminent domain to move privately owned housing into public or community ownership?
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she → support → ownership
Her campaign answered none of them.
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campaign → answer → them
We know Raman can separate herself from the DSA when she wants to.
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she → know → DSA
After the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, she blasted a DSA-LA statement that she said “failed to reckon with the horrors committed by Hamas” and was “unacceptably devoid of empathy for communities in Israel.”
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she → blast → Israel
Raman herself acknowledged earlier this year that while she shares DSA’s emphasis on the working class, “I don’t always agree with my allies on how to accomplish our goals.”
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I → acknowledge → goals
Instead, when DSA-LA endorsed her this month, Raman welcomed it.
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Raman → endorse → it
She said she was “proud that DSA-LA is joining our broad coalition.”
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LA → say → coalition
Nobody forced Raman to join the DSA.
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Nobody → force → DSA
Nobody forced her to seek its endorsements.
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Nobody → force → endorsements
And nobody forced her to accept the volunteers and political muscle that come with them.
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that → force → them
If Raman wants voters to separate her agenda from the DSA’s, the burden is on her to tell them where she parts company.
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she → want → company
Los Angeles voters deserve to know what someone asking to be their next mayor intends to do with their city.
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someone → deserve → city
The California Post gave Raman 16 chances to tell them.
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Post → give → them
She refused every one.
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She → refuse → one
It’s contempt for the voters whose trust she is asking for.
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she → ’ → trust
Jon Fleischman, a longtime strategist in California politics, writes at SoDoesItMatter.com
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Fleischman → write → newsletters
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