Why It Matters
California’s largest city is heading toward a November showdown between incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, following the elimination of Republican challenger Spencer Pratt in the June 5 primary. The result shapes the political future of a city grappling with homelessness, housing costs, and questions about mayoral leadership.
What Happened
The Associated Press called the race on Monday, confirming Raman had secured the second spot in the runoff after Pratt was eliminated. Raman, 44, will now face Bass in the general election. The outcome was shaped in part by late-arriving ballots, which under California law may be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day — and in this cycle, those ballots trended toward younger and more liberal voters, helping Raman pull ahead.
Pratt, the only Republican in the race, had drawn national attention after receiving public support from President Donald Trump. His elimination was widely expected given Los Angeles’s political composition: registered Republicans make up roughly 15 percent of the city’s electorate. Pratt had spent recent weeks campaigning in the San Fernando Valley, attempting to build support in areas outside his base, but the demographic math proved too steep to overcome.
Raman drew her strongest returns from several west-side and east-side neighborhoods, including Silver Lake, Hollywood, Echo Park, and Glassell Park. Bass, the first Black woman elected mayor of Los Angeles, performed best in her early vote totals in South and Central Los Angeles — areas that have historically anchored her coalition.
By the Numbers
- June 5, 2026: Primary election date
- ~15%: Share of Los Angeles voters registered as Republican
- ~Two-thirds: Portion of total voters who cast ballots for someone other than Mayor Bass, signaling dissatisfaction with her incumbency
- 44: Raman’s age
Zoom Out
The fact that roughly two-thirds of Los Angeles voters chose a candidate other than the incumbent mayor underscores the political vulnerability Bass carries into November. While a split field often spreads opposition votes thin, the sheer volume of anti-incumbent balloting suggests Bass faces a genuine challenge holding her office.
Raman’s advancement is consistent with a broader trend in California Democratic politics, where progressive city council members and state legislators have increasingly sought to move up the ladder by challenging establishment incumbents. Statewide, California’s open governor’s race is also producing competitive primary dynamics, with multiple well-funded candidates vying for position ahead of that contest.
The elimination of a Trump-endorsed Republican in a major coastal city race also reinforces a pattern visible in several recent municipal contests: national-level political branding from either party carries limited transferability in deep-blue urban settings where local issues dominate voter decision-making.
What’s Next
With the runoff ballot now set, both Bass and Raman will shift to general election campaigning. Bass will need to consolidate South and Central Los Angeles support while making inroads in the neighborhoods where Raman ran strongest. Raman, for her part, must build a coalition broad enough to win citywide — a significantly wider electoral map than the council district she currently represents.
Late ballots are still being counted and final margin totals have not been certified, but the fundamental matchup is confirmed. Los Angeles voters will render their verdict in November on whether Bass earns a second term or whether Raman becomes the city’s next mayor.