Story perspectives

Bass, Raman Advance; Pratt Loses, Trump cries rigging

6/9/2026

Summary

Raman Advances

Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman advanced to the Los Angeles mayoral race after Spencer Pratt placed third.
Late-counted mail and drop-off ballots, favoring Democrats, pushed Raman ahead of Pratt, erasing his lead.
Pratt claimed a 43,000-vote swing citing 43,000 homeless, while U.S. President Donald Trump said the result was rigged, adding that commentators called count impossible.
Election officials noted California’s first-time voter ID rule and found no widespread fraud evidence.

Summary

Raman Overtakes

The Los Angeles County Registrar's Office will certify results on June 26, with the Secretary of State to certify by July 10.
Ysabel Jurado and Eunisses Hernandez endorsed Karen Bass, while Nithya Raman filed her candidacy on Feb. 7 after endorsing Bass.
Nithya Raman out-raised Karen Bass, used a push to overtake Pratt, pledged a 50 % homelessness cut before the 2028 Olympics, and held 32 % poll support versus Bass’s 28 % with 40 % undecided.

Summary

Pratt Enters Race

Spencer Pratt entered the Los Angeles mayoral race after his Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in the January 2025 fires.
He registered as a Republican after buying a gun for personal safety, saying Jesus Christ guides his politics and mothers’ support outweighs celebrity endorsements.
Despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement, Pratt says his campaign is strictly local and he does not align with MAGA politics.

History

Historical Context

In 1993, Republican Richard Riordan won the Los Angeles mayoral race, defeating Democrat Michael Woo with 53 % of the vote. Riordan’s campaign raised $5.5 million, outspending Woo by roughly $3 million and mobilizing 1.2 million voters citywide. Today's Los Angeles mayoral contest mirrors that 1993 showdown, with Karen Bass, Nithya Raman and celebrity Spencer Pratt vying amid voter-ID rules and homelessness pledges. The 1993 precedent suggests that high-profile candidates and stringent ID laws can reshape voter turnout, potentially influencing the 2025 runoff and future Olympic-related policies.

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Raman Advances

Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman advanced to the Los Angeles mayoral race after Spencer Pratt placed third.
Late-counted mail and drop-off ballots, favoring Democrats, pushed Raman ahead of Pratt, erasing his lead.
Pratt claimed a 43,000-vote swing citing 43,000 homeless, while U.S. President Donald Trump said the result was rigged, adding that commentators called count impossible.
Election officials noted California’s first-time voter ID rule and found no widespread fraud evidence.

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