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

California voters turned out Tuesday to select nominees in a pair of high-profile races that will shape the state's response to national challenges under a second Trump administration. In the governor's contest and the Los Angeles mayoral primary, the results underscored the enduring strength of Democratic candidates in the nation's most populous state even as President Donald Trump sought to cast doubt on the process.

With Gov. Gavin Newsom term-limited, the race to succeed him has centered on Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer alongside Republican Steve Hilton. Polls heading into election day showed the contest narrowing to those three, reflecting a broader pattern in which California has consistently rejected Republican leadership at the statewide level. The top two finishers will advance to November regardless of party under the state's open primary system.

The same rules are playing out in the Los Angeles mayoral race, where incumbent Democrat Karen Bass is positioned to finish first and fellow Democrat Nithya Raman appears on track to join her in a November runoff. With most ballots counted, Bass held roughly 35 percent, Raman about 27 percent, and Republican Spencer Pratt just under 27 percent. Pratt, a former reality television personality, has trailed in recent days after starting closer to the leaders.

Trump took to social media Sunday to label the Los Angeles contest crooked and to assert that Republican candidates were being cheated, offering no supporting evidence. His comments echoed unsubstantiated claims he has made about elections in Democratic-led states for years. California election officials have reported no irregularities that would alter the projected outcome, and the slow pace of vote counting is consistent with the state's long-standing practice of processing mail ballots over several days or weeks.

The governor's race carries added weight because the winner will confront persistent state problems including homelessness, housing affordability, and climate-driven threats from wildfire and drought. Becerra's background as former state attorney general and U.S. health secretary, along with Steyer's focus on climate policy, positions either Democrat to continue California's pattern of countering federal policies on immigration, redistricting, and environmental regulation.

Pratt has stated he remains optimistic about closing the narrow gap with Raman, yet the current tally leaves him outside the top two. The open primary format means the November mayoral ballot will feature two Democrats, continuing a dynamic in which Republican candidates have struggled to reach the general election in heavily Democratic jurisdictions.

Voters who waited until the final days to return ballots added uncertainty to both races, though the overall trend favors Democratic continuity. California's results are expected to reinforce the state's role as a center of opposition to the Trump administration's agenda while the president attempts to frame routine vote tabulation as evidence of misconduct.