Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman, a city council member and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), said on Friday that she is both a capitalist and a democratic socialist. In an interview with CNN’s Elex Michaelson, Raman explained that she wants the city’s government to function efficiently while ensuring capitalism does not exploit workers or the poor.
Candidate’s explanation
“I am a capitalist, and I’m also a democratic socialist,” Raman said. “I want the city to work and when the government is doing its job, it needs to work really effectively, and we need to make sure capitalism works without harm to workers, without worker exploitation, without exploitation of poor people. That’s what I’m going to focus on.”
Republican criticism
Los Angeles County Republican Party Chair Roxanne Hoge responded to Raman’s remarks, calling the two labels “mutually exclusive.” Hoge suggested Raman might have been “in a fugue state” when she agreed to work with the DSA, which she said “proudly proclaim their desire to expropriate private property and to abolish the police.”
DSA’s internal review
The Los Angeles Times reported that DSA national leadership is considering action against the Los Angeles chapter’s endorsement of Raman. The review follows accusations that Raman does not fully support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement aimed at Israel. At a recent forum, Raman described BDS as a “legitimate form of peaceful protest” without explicitly endorsing it.
Local activist response
Lisa Cusack, president of the “Don’t LA My Burbank” PAC, criticized Raman’s affiliation with the DSA, noting the organization’s historical ties to the California Communist Party. Cusack quoted the DSA’s Los Angeles program, which states, “Capitalists extract massive profits by stealing the surplus value of working‑class labor,” and outlined goals such as rebuilding worker militancy, expanding union density, dismantling the gig economy, and asserting democratic worker control over municipal and private industries.
Raman’s stance on police and other reforms
When Michaelson asked whether Raman supports abolishing police departments, prisons, or the U.S. Senate, she rejected all three proposals. She emphasized that the DSA is a “big tent” organization and that many Angelenos share her perspective.
Context in the mayoral race
Raman is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a race that has drawn national attention. Her dual identification has raised questions among voters about how she will reconcile the two philosophies if elected. The DSA’s official description of democratic socialism calls for replacing capitalism with a system where workers have greater control over businesses and major industries, explicitly rejecting capitalism.
Responses from the campaign
Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA, Raman and Mayor Bass for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
