Karen Bass and Nithya Raman Advance to LA Mayoral Runoff

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman have advanced to the November 3 runoff election for Mayor of Los Angeles. Bass secured the top spot in the June 2 primary with approximately 34.3% of the vote. Raman secured the second spot with roughly 28.6%, narrowly edging out Republican challenger Spencer Pratt, who finished third with 25.8%.

The race was characterized by a dramatic shift in standings. Pratt initially held a significant lead over Raman on election night, but Raman surged as mail-in ballots were processed over the following week. This progression sparked intense controversy, with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and other GOP figures alleging the process was "rigged" and "crooked." Trump claimed the results were "not possible" and suggested the Department of Justice would investigate.

Election officials and analysts dismissed the fraud claims, noting that late-arriving mail-in ballots typically skew Democratic in California. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli debunked specific claims that Pratt received zero votes in certain updates, attributing the discrepancy to a data reporting lag by the Associated Press.

Bass campaigned on her record of reducing homelessness and homicide rates, while Raman ran as a progressive alternative focusing on housing affordability and government reform. Pratt centered his campaign on the city's response to the 2025 Palisades Fire, a disaster that also served as a primary point of criticism against Bass's administration.