Nithya Raman has expanded her lead over Spencer Pratt in Los Angeles’ mayoral primary, making it increasingly likely that the two-term City Council member will advance to a runoff against incumbent Karen Bass. With additional ballots still being counted from the June 2 primary, Monday’s updated totals showed Raman with 229,576 votes, or 28.56% of the counted vote, compared with Pratt’s 207,757 votes, or 25.83%. Bass remained in first place with 275,992 votes, representing 34.32% of the counted ballots. Raman’s margin over Pratt grew significantly from the previous night, when she led by 7,494 votes, and from June 3, when Pratt had held a lead of more than 40,000 votes. Although the Associated Press and CNN have projected Raman as the likely finalist, the race has not yet been officially called because hundreds of thousands of ballots remain to be counted.
Raman responded to the latest results by thanking supporters and framing the campaign as a broader fight for a more affordable and more equitable Los Angeles. She said the city needs leadership that serves working people rather than powerful interests that influence elections. Her campaign emphasized housing costs, public services, and city governance, arguing that Los Angeles has become too focused on political advantage rather than solving residents’ daily problems.
Bass’s campaign, meanwhile, used the new tally to sharpen its criticism of Raman. A spokesperson for the mayor argued that Bass would welcome a runoff against Raman and suggested that her rival’s positions on homelessness and policing make her an easier target in the general election. Bass, who initially appeared to be heading toward a straightforward reelection campaign, now faces a more competitive contest than expected.
Pratt, a former reality television personality with no prior electoral experience, adopted a more cautious tone as results continued to shift against him. He said the vote difference remained narrow and pointed to the large number of outstanding ballots and the weeks still needed for counting. Pratt has repeatedly said he would leave Los Angeles if he does not win the mayoralty, and he remains vocal online despite trailing in the count. His campaign had attracted attention because of his high-profile background and the backing of Donald Trump, but he has struggled to overcome the city’s heavily Democratic electorate.
The race has also become part of a larger political dispute over California’s ballot-counting process. Prominent Republican figures, including JD Vance, Mike Johnson, and Bill Essayli, have criticized the state’s slower vote tabulation, while Trump has claimed without evidence that the election is “crooked.” Those attacks have drawn scrutiny as election officials continue processing ballots. More results are expected Tuesday afternoon, and the final outcome could still change slightly, but the latest numbers strongly suggest Raman is headed to the runoff against Bass.
