Progressive Showdown: Nithya Raman Forces Showdown with Karen Bass in LA Mayoral Runoff
City Councilmember Nithya Raman is projected as the second-place finisher in the June 2, 2026 Los Angeles mayoral primary. She advances to the November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
Bass led comfortably with roughly 35 percent of the vote.
The race for second place tightened as mail-in and provisional ballots were counted, with Raman overtaking reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the final tallies.
Pratt, a political newcomer whose campaign drew attention over issues like homelessness and recovery from the 2025 fires, held an early lead but fell short against late-counted ballots favoring Raman.
The November contest will feature Bass’s experience against Raman’s progressive platform focused on housing, affordability, and making the city more livable. Official results will be certified in the coming weeks.
