Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has overtaken reality TV star Spencer Pratt to secure the second spot in the November mayoral runoff election. According to updated counts from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Raman is projected to face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the general election following a surge in late-counted ballots.
The Narrow Margin Between Raman and Pratt

- Karen Bass: Leading the race with approximately 34% of the vote.
- Nithya Raman: Currently holding second place following a surge in progressive votes.
- Spencer Pratt: Trailing in third, though still within a fraction of a percentage point.
“Folks, we’re dealing with a fraction of a percentage point different, there’s still hundreds of thousands of vote outstanding, and LA officials have given us the next 3 week to count! Let’s git-r-dun!”
Spencer Pratt, via InstagramControversy and Claims of Election Fraud

The Political Strategy for the November Runoff
With the second spot in the November 2026 runoff nearly finalized, the focus turns to how incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will approach her general election opponent. While the exact matchup is not yet official, ABC News notes that Bass has already clinched her spot at the top of the ticket. The Bass campaign has already begun framing the contest. Rather than waiting for the final certification, the incumbent’s team has signaled they are prepared to fight a progressive challenger.“We look forward to winning a contest against an opponent who allows encampments near schools and fights against hiring more cops, yet is MIA on saving Hollywood jobs and fighting back when ICE invades
“Bass and her advisors believe that they know how to run against Pratt. They’ll run the same campaign playbook against a conservative that they did against Rick Caruso four years ago.”

