Raman Advances Past Pratt to Face Bass in LA Mayor Runoff

Nithya Raman, a progressive Los Angeles city council member, has secured second place in the city's mayoral primary and will face incumbent Karen Bass in November. With late mail ballots counted, Raman reached 28.5 percent of the vote compared with 25.8 percent for Spencer Pratt, the Republican reality television personality backed by President Trump. Bass had already advanced on primary night with a clear majority.

The result leaves voters a choice between two Democrats in a city that has long leaned left. Raman, who entered the race late, positioned herself as an advocate for expanded social services, stricter housing regulations and reduced police funding in certain areas. She described the outcome as an opportunity to pursue a healthier and more affordable Los Angeles. Bass, seeking a second term, has emphasized her experience managing the January 2025 wildfires and subsequent recovery efforts while facing criticism over homelessness and public safety.

Pratt's campaign centered on frustration with slow rebuilding after the fires, visible street disorder and city bureaucracy. Trump endorsed him publicly, framing the race as a test of whether Los Angeles would shift direction. Pratt initially led Raman by several points but lost ground steadily as additional ballots were tallied over the past week. His defeat marks another instance in which a high-profile Republican challenge fell short in a major Democratic city.

The contest now turns to the differences between Bass and Raman on concrete policy questions. Bass has maintained a relatively pragmatic stance on policing and development while navigating pressure from both progressives and business groups. Raman has aligned more closely with measures to limit certain enforcement actions and increase tenant protections. How those positions play out against the backdrop of ongoing housing shortages and strained city services will likely define the fall campaign.

Similar patterns have appeared elsewhere. In Chicago, New York and Boston, voters have continued to favor candidates who emphasize progressive approaches to social services and land use even after periods of visible urban strain. Los Angeles presents a comparable test: whether dissatisfaction with visible problems such as encampments and rebuilding delays translates into support for a different governing philosophy or remains contained within the Democratic primary electorate.

Bass's campaign has already signaled that it will contrast her record with Raman's positions on policing and encampment enforcement. Raman, for her part, has framed the runoff as a chance to address affordability and quality-of-life issues more aggressively. With three months until the general election, both candidates will need to show how their approaches would produce measurable improvements in a city still recovering from multiple overlapping crises.