Nithya Raman Narrows Gap to 1% Behind Spencer Pratt in LA Mayoral Primary

With about 78 % of the ballots counted in the Los Angeles mayoral primary, Spencer Pratt’s lead over City Councilmember Nithya Raman has shrunk to roughly one percentage point – a margin of about 7,500 votes. Pratt now stands at 27.3 % of the vote, while Raman has risen to 26.2 %. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass remains in first place with about 35 % and is projected to advance to the November runoff. Late‑counted mail‑in and provisional ballots have consistently favored Raman, narrowing the gap over the past three days. Pratt has publicly questioned the vote‑counting process, and some commentators have alleged irregularities, but the U.S. Attorney’s office and local election officials have found no evidence of fraud. The race will determine whether the runoff pits Bass against the progressive Raman or against Pratt, a Republican former reality‑TV star. In the same election cycle, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has secured a place in the California gubernatorial runoff, but the mayoral contest remains the focal point of local political attention.