Raman to face Bass in LA mayoral runoff after narrowly beating Pratt amid election integrity concerns

Progressive Los Angeles city council member Nithya Raman has secured a spot in the November runoff for mayor, narrowly defeating former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. Raman will now challenge incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for leadership of America's second-largest city.

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She [Raman] is a perfect example of how elected officials should be, starting from the grassroots, motivated because of a very specific problem.

Pratt, who entered the race after his home burned down in the 2025 wildfires, initially held a lead over Raman. However, as ballot processing continued from last week's primary election, Raman's vote count increased, allowing her to pull ahead.

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I am so grateful for your friendship and your support.

The race for the second runoff position was closely contested for nearly a week. This delay in finalizing results is partly attributed to California's thorough but slow ballot processing system, especially with many Democratic voters casting ballots late. The extended wait has also seen a proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories regarding election integrity.

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I don’t think we should talking about the future of LA in the context of friendship or betrayal. We need to be talking about the issues.

Pratt himself hinted at such theories, posting on social media about "votes" and suggesting Raman's lead came from the unhoused population. Despite his campaign's surge in polls fueled by controversial videos and attacks on rivals, Pratt faced questions about his lack of political experience and his Republican registration in the heavily Democratic city. Raman, who entered the race shortly before the filing deadline, had previously endorsed Bass, and both have publicly praised each other, focusing on issues like affordable housing.

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They’re not the only ones who know where to find votes