LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has narrowly moved into second place in the city’s mayoral race, overtaking former reality television personality Spencer Pratt as ballot counting continues in one of the most closely watched local elections in California.
The evolving vote count now places Raman in a stronger position to advance to a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, though election officials have not yet officially projected the final outcome for the second runoff spot.
Tight Battle for Runoff Position
The race to determine who will challenge Mayor Karen Bass has remained highly competitive since election night. While Bass has already secured her place in the runoff, the second slot continues to shift as additional ballots are processed.
Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt initially held a narrow lead in second place, but that advantage has eroded in recent vote updates as mail-in and late-counted ballots have been added to the totals.
Council member Nithya Raman has steadily closed the gap over several days, eventually moving ahead by a small margin in the latest count released by election officials.
Ongoing Ballot Counting Shifts Results
Election officials in Los Angeles County continue to process more than 100,000 outstanding ballots, a routine but time-consuming aspect of California’s vote-counting system, which often produces shifts in early results.
Raman’s surge reflects a broader trend seen across California races, where Democratic candidates have tended to gain ground as additional vote-by-mail ballots are tallied in the days following Election Day.
The final outcome of the second runoff spot remains uncalled, with officials emphasizing that further updates are expected as counting continues.
Contrasting Political Pathways for the General Election
Depending on the final tally, Los Angeles voters could face two markedly different runoff scenarios in November.
A Bass–Pratt matchup would likely emphasize ideological contrasts and outsider-versus-establishment themes, with Pratt positioning himself as a challenger to City Hall’s current leadership.
A Bass–Raman runoff, however, would create an intra-party contest between two Democrats, highlighting divisions within the city’s progressive political landscape.
Raman, a former ally of Bass, has positioned her campaign around housing, homelessness, and urban policy reform, while Bass has emphasized public safety and city governance experience.
Campaign Reactions and Political Tensions
The Bass campaign criticized Raman’s platform in a public statement, arguing that her policies reflect a softer approach to enforcement and public safety challenges facing the city.
Raman’s campaign responded by expressing confidence in the latest vote updates and gratitude to supporters, while emphasizing that counting is still ongoing and the final result remains unsettled.
High Stakes in a Closely Watched Race
With Los Angeles still awaiting final ballot tallies, the mayoral race remains one of the most closely watched political contests in the country.
The outcome will determine not only who faces Mayor Bass in the runoff but also the broader ideological direction of the city’s leadership heading into the next term.
Election officials say they will continue releasing updated vote counts as processing continues across Los Angeles County.
