Pratt Holds Lead as Radical Left Pushes Raman in LA Mayoral Race
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Spencer Pratt’s lead over far-left councilwoman Nithya Raman in the Los Angeles mayoral primary has narrowed to about 1%, while establishment Democrat Xavier Becerra advances in the California governor’s runoff.
The Los Angeles mayoral primary is tightening as the latest count from the county registrar shows reality-TV star Spencer Pratt, a Republican, maintaining a narrow lead over radical progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman (27.3% to 26.2%) with 78% of votes counted. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat known for her left-wing policies, has already been projected to advance to the runoff, where she will face either Pratt or Raman, both representing starkly different visions for the city.
In the statewide governor’s race, establishment Democrat and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has been projected to move on to the November general election, overtaking Republican Steve Hilton, who had led earlier in the night. Billionaire Tom Steyer, a major donor to liberal causes, remains in third place and is contesting the second spot.
Political analysts noted that both races remain open as more ballots are counted, with California’s top-two primary system advancing the two highest vote-getters regardless of party. If elected, Becerra would become the first Latino governor of California since 1875, a fact touted by Democrats as a milestone.
"Spencer Pratt has been losing share of the vote with every one of these new ballot dumps, and we expect that to continue," said political data analyst Paul Mitchell, suggesting that the left-wing base is mobilizing behind Raman. "The question is, will he drop? Will Nithya Raman rise?" Mitchell added that a turning point could see the far-left candidate overtake Pratt.
Pratt, who has expressed confidence about facing Bass and standing up to the city’s progressive establishment, said he was prepared for any outcome. Raman, who entered the race late and is backed by activist groups rather than traditional institutions, told supporters after polls closed that she was running a "long shot" campaign with a radical vision for Los Angeles.
County officials have up to 30 days to count provisional ballots, and mail-in votes postmarked by Election Day must be counted if received within seven days, leaving the door open for further leftward shifts in the results.