Spencer Pratt out: Karen Bass and Nithya Raman advance in LA mayoral general election
This latest count eliminated Pratt's lead over Raman, which had held since Election Day. Moments later, Decision Desk HQ projected that Bass and Raman would advance to the general election.
Nithya Raman in Los Angeles/ Patrick T. Fallon.
Republican Spencer Pratt is out of the Los Angeles mayor's general election. Five days after the election, a new vote update put Nithya Raman, a Democratic city councilman, above him. Thus, Pratt dropped to third place, and both Raman and Karen Bass, the current mayor, will face off in a head-to-head on Nov. 3.
Although the election was on Tuesday, June 2, California and city officials are still counting votes, a process criticized by various authorities and even Donald Trump. With the latest update, 83% of votes have been counted, showing Bass first with 34%, followed by Raman at 27% and Pratt at 26%.
This latest count eliminated Pratt's lead over Raman, which had held since polling day. Moments later, Decision Desk HQ projected that Bass and Raman would advance to the general election.
As for Pratt, a former reality TV star whose house was burned down during the 2025 Palisades fires, he positioned himself as an outsider candidate and was noted for his use of artificial intelligence during the campaign.
Who is Nithya Raman?
Born in India, she immigrated to the United States with her parents at the age of six. Subsequently, she studied at Harvard University and earned a master's degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
After a few years back in India, she moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and entered politics in 2020, when she was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. Six years later, she ran for mayor on a progressive platform that included greater government intervention to address the homelessness crisis, expand housing development, and accelerate the city's climate goals, including policies to reduce carbon emissions and transition to zero-emission technologies.
On security, Raman has faced criticism for positions she took during her first campaign in 2020, when she backed proposals associated with the Defund the Police movement and proposed reducing the size and functions of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
She has since moderated her stance and argues that the city should not continue to lose police personnel.
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