Nithya Raman receives $6M backing from hedge fund manager amid LA County AI data center restrictions

LA County: Los Angeles County is the governing body for the most populous county in the United States, responsible for unincorporated areas and regional services including zoning and planning. It is advancing a motion to develop zoning amendments that would prohibit large-scale data centers in those areas, citing energy demands, water use, and potential health effects tied to AI infrastructure. This effort forms the backdrop of the news regarding opposition from unions supporting Nithya Raman's campaign. Nithya Raman: Nithya Raman is a Los Angeles City Councilmember and the leading candidate in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race against incumbent Karen Bass. She has drawn major support from construction unions and a prominent out-of-state hedge fund manager through independent expenditure committees focused on issues like street safety and housing. The news ties her election bid to union efforts opposing LA County's restrictions on AI data centers. Mayoral Campaign: Nithya Raman, an LA City Councilmember, is running as a progressive challenger in the Los Angeles mayoral race and has received backing from labor unions and major individual donors. Union Involvement: Construction unions have shifted support toward Nithya Raman's mayoral bid, contributing significantly to independent committees amid debates over local development policies including data centers. Data Center Regulation: LA County supervisors are considering a zoning amendment to ban large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas over concerns about energy consumption, water resources, and public health impacts from AI facilities.