Los Angeles mayoral primary tightened into a close scramble, with Councilwoman Nithya Raman climbing into second place and a left‑leaning campaign reshaping the fall matchup.

New tallies in the Los Angeles top-two primary have moved City Councilwoman Nithya Raman into the second slot, putting her ahead of former reality television figure Spencer Pratt as ballots continue to be counted. The shifts came after successive batches of mail‑in ballots favored Raman, narrowing what looked like a comfortable path for Pratt into the fall. Voters are sorting between an incumbent mayor and challengers from both left and right, and the picture is far from settled.

Recent reporting shows Raman picked up more than 19,000 votes in the latest count, while Mayor Karen Bass gained over 15,000 and Pratt added over 8,000. Raman now leads Pratt by roughly 3,000 votes as officials process outstanding ballots, and the margin could still move. That late movement has tightened a race many assumed would be decided much earlier.

Mayor Bass is still projected to advance to the general election despite facing intense scrutiny over the city’s response to the 2025 wildfires and other city crises. She has so far received just under 35% of the vote even as an incumbent, a sign that many voters remain unsettled about current leadership. The campaign trail has been dominated by questions about emergency response and long‑running problems like homelessness.

“From the bottom of my heart, I love you, I appreciate you, I appreciate you for believing in me. I appreciate you for standing with me when others doubted me, because you know who I am,” Bass said at a campaign event, leaning on her record and personal ties to the city. “I have devoted my entire life to serving the city that I love, where I was born, and I’m going to continue to do that all the way to victory in November,” she added.

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Raman has campaigned from a left‑of‑center position on many city issues, arguing for progressive approaches to housing and city services. Her surge in mail‑in ballots reflects strong organizational work among neighborhood activists and volunteers who turned out ballots late. That leftist energy is now pushing a progressive candidate into a possible head‑to‑head with the incumbent in November.

Pratt, who rose to fame on reality television, positioned himself to the right of Bass and made wildfire recovery and homelessness central themes of his campaign. His messaging aimed to highlight emergency management and public safety as priorities that would resonate with frustrated voters. Despite his media profile, the campaign has seen those leads slip as more ballots are tallied.

“I’ve been a candidate for something as long as you can remember, and you’ve had to live through it with me, and you’ve been so patient through all of it. Thank you,” Raman said during an emotional night on the campaign trail. “I hope you know that everything every person in this room is fighting for in this campaign has been about building a city that’s worthy of you and every child in this city.” That line underscored her appeal to voters focused on equity and long‑term planning.

Pratt sought to rally supporters on social media as counts continued, writing on X: “we are still in the lead, and we’ve got allllllll the way til July 6th to keep counting. They’re not the only ones who know where to find votes.” His post signaled an intent to press challenges to the counting process and to mobilize a late push. Those messages reflect a campaign still fighting to hold on to its place in the top two.

The shifting totals show how unpredictable municipal races can be when mail‑in and late returns play a decisive role, especially in a sprawling city like Los Angeles with diverse neighborhoods and voting patterns. For conservatives watching municipal contests, the race is a reminder that incumbency is not an automatic shield and that local issues can upend expectations. Control of city policy next year will hinge on turnout and who can keep momentum into November.

Beyond the personalities, the contest is about policy approaches to housing, safety, and disaster response — and which political philosophy Los Angeles will back for the next term. Bass will take a weakened headline into the general if these numbers hold, while Raman’s rise illustrates the strength of an energized left base. Meanwhile, Pratt’s supporters are still counting on outstanding ballots and legal avenues if necessary to change the outcome.

As officials finish processing ballots, every batch could matter for a final placement that determines the November ballot. The campaign season is going to lengthen into a fall rematch between divergent visions for the city, with voters deciding whether to stick with an incumbent, opt for a progressive shift, or embrace an outsider message about recovery and safety. The weeks ahead will tell how this tight primary ultimately reshapes Los Angeles politics.