Progressive Nithya Raman Edges Out Spencer Pratt to Force November Runoff Against Mayor Karen Bass

LOS ANGELES — City Councilmember Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against Mayor Karen Bass, overtaking former reality-television star Spencer Pratt as late-counted mail ballots broke decisively in her favor and reshaped the race for control of the nation's second-largest city.

Bass led the all-party first round with about 34% of the vote, comfortably securing a spot in the runoff. The contest for second place proved far more dramatic. On election night, Pratt — a registered Republican who ran an insurgent campaign hammering Bass over her handling of last year's devastating Los Angeles wildfires — sat in second ahead of Raman. But as elections officials processed the remaining mail ballots over the following days, the tallies trended steadily more Democratic, allowing Raman to climb to roughly 29% and surpass Pratt, who finished at about 26%.

The result sets up an unexpected matchup between two Democrats and former political allies. Raman, a prominent progressive on the City Council, had initially endorsed Bass for reelection before reversing course and entering the race late, casting herself as a reformer willing to upend a City Hall she argued had grown complacent. The two will now compete to lead a struggling city of nearly 4 million residents grappling with homelessness, a strained budget and the long recovery from the wildfires.

Pratt's elimination ends one of the more unusual campaigns in recent Los Angeles memory. The "The Hills" personality leaned into his celebrity and his criticism of the city's emergency response, building an insurgent coalition that briefly threatened to push a Republican into a runoff in one of the most Democratic big cities in the country. Ultimately, the city's heavily Democratic mail electorate reasserted itself as the count wore on.

For Bass, the runoff is both an opportunity and a warning. Securing a clear first-place finish demonstrated durable support, but failing to clear the field outright — and drawing a credible challenge from her own left flank — signaled persistent voter frustration. Raman is expected to press the mayor on housing, the wildfire recovery and the pace of reform at City Hall.

The November contest will test whether Los Angeles voters prefer the incumbent's experience and institutional relationships or the change-oriented message of a councilmember promising to shake up the status quo. With two Democrats on the ballot, the campaign is likely to turn on competence, accountability and competing visions for how aggressively the city should move to confront its mounting challenges.