Raman Narrows Gap on Pratt in LA Mayor Primary Amid Trump Claims

California voters headed to the polls last week in a pair of high-stakes primaries that once again exposed the state's entrenched political machinery. In the race to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom, the contest narrowed sharply to a three-way battle among Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer alongside Republican Steve Hilton. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the mayoral primary produced the expected outcome with Democrats Karen Bass and Nithya Raman positioned to advance while Republican Spencer Pratt fell to third place.

The statewide results underscored how little has changed despite widespread public frustration over homelessness, housing costs, and repeated environmental failures. Becerra, the former attorney general and health secretary, and Steyer, the billionaire climate activist, dominated early returns. Hilton, a former Fox News host who entered as an outsider voice, struggled to break through in a state where Democratic registration advantages and mail-in ballot patterns have long favored one side. Polls closed Tuesday evening, yet officials warned that full counts could drag on for days or weeks, a timeline that has become routine and convenient for those already ahead.

President Trump did not mince words about the Los Angeles contest. Posting on Truth Social, he described the process as crooked and accused Democrats of cheating Republican candidates. With nearly 87 percent of votes tallied days later, Bass held roughly 35 percent, Raman sat at 27 percent, and Pratt lingered just behind at 26.7 percent. Under California's open primary rules, only the top two advance regardless of party, so the November runoff will feature two Democrats once again. Pratt insisted the race remained fluid and pointed to late-counting ballots, but the trajectory left little room for optimism among conservatives watching from outside the state.

These outcomes arrive after an April scandal that scrambled the governor field and forced candidates to reset their efforts. Even so, the underlying dynamics stayed intact. California has functioned as a one-party laboratory for years, with Democratic leaders testing policies on immigration enforcement, energy restrictions, and urban governance that often produce visible strain. The next governor will inherit those challenges along with the task of positioning the state as a counterweight to the current administration in Washington. Yet the primary process itself drew fresh scrutiny when results appeared to sideline the only major Republican voices in both races.

Voter behavior added another layer. A larger share of ballots arrived late, increasing the chance of surprises once all votes are processed. Still, structural advantages for Democrats remained clear. Steyer's financial resources and Becerra's institutional backing gave them reach that Hilton could not match in most urban and coastal counties. In Los Angeles, Pratt's background as a reality television figure drew attention but failed to overcome the same registration and turnout patterns that have kept Republicans out of the final round.

Critics of the system argue that open primaries and extended counting periods effectively suppress competition rather than expand it. When the top two finishers share the same party label, voters in November receive a narrower choice than advertised. Trump highlighted this pattern without offering specific evidence of fraud, yet the absence of Republican finalists in either contest fueled broader skepticism about whether the rules truly serve the public or simply maintain existing power structures. The state's most pressing problems, from street encampments to wildfire management, continue to demand attention regardless of who advances.