Los Angeles voters delivered a decisive result in today’s mayoral primary, clearing the field for a November runoff between incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. With 51% of ballots counted, Bass led with 36% of the vote, far ahead of Pratt at 29% and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman at 21%.
The Associated Press called the race for Bass at 9:47 PM PT. She will face the second-place finisher in a November 3, 2026 runoff election.
The result was a stunning turnaround for Bass, who faced serious primary challenges from both Pratt, who self-funded a multi-million dollar campaign, and Raman, who positioned herself as a progressive alternative to the incumbent. Despite the competitive primary field of 14 candidates, Bass maintained her lead throughout the evening as votes were counted.
What the Primary Results Tell Us
Bass’s primary victory, though not overwhelming at 36%, is nonetheless significant in a 14-candidate field. She consolidated support from moderate and establishment voters while Pratt and Raman split the vote opposing her.
Mayor Karen Bass stands at a press conference in regards to her proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2026-27 at City Hall on Monday, April 20, 2026 in Los Angeles , Calif.Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images file
The fact that a former reality TV star on the MTV dating show “The Hills” finished second in the race for mayor of America’s second-largest city is the story that will dominate national coverage. But the substantive result is that Bass, who has served as mayor since 2022, positioned herself as the continuity candidate focused on executing her agenda rather than engaging in a bruising primary battle.
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Pratt’s strong second-place finish, however, signals genuine voter dissatisfaction with Bass’s tenure. Issues of homelessness, city infrastructure, and public safety emerged as dominant concerns throughout the campaign, and Pratt’s willingness to directly challenge Bass on these issues resonated with a substantial portion of the electorate.
Who Are the Three Finalists?
Karen Bass (36%, advances to runoff)
Bass entered politics in 2004 after a career as a physician assistant in healthcare. She served in the California State Assembly, rising to speaker, before serving six terms in the US House of Representatives as a Democrat. She became the first woman and second African American mayor of Los Angeles in 2022.
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Her campaign emphasized accomplishments including a two-year reduction in street homelessness, her signature “Inside Safe” program, the fastest fire cleanup in US history following the 2025 wildfires, homicides on track to be the lowest since 1968, and bringing union jobs back to downtown. She positioned herself as a candidate willing to take on the Trump administration and its immigration policies, particularly around ICE enforcement.
Her messaging during the primary centered on proven leadership and continued progress on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Spencer Pratt (29%, advances to runoff)
Pratt is best known as a cast member on MTV’s reality dating show “The Hills” and subsequent seasons of “The Hills: New Beginnings.” He is a reality TV personality, not a politician, and his entrance into the mayoral race was unexpected. His campaign was self-funded with millions of dollars of his own money.
Pratt’s messaging was direct and combative. He attacked Bass’s record on infrastructure, specifically city potholes that he said she had “allowed” to proliferate. He highlighted public drug use and fentanyl addiction visible in parks, criticizing the city’s approach to the homelessness crisis. He promised multiple debates with Bass and positioned himself as an outsider willing to challenge the status quo.
During his election night remarks, Pratt said: “I’m going to prove to everybody that this is for real.” He doubled down on infrastructure complaints and quality-of-life issues that he said have been neglected under Bass.
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Nithya Raman (21%, third place, eliminated)
Raman is a Los Angeles City Councilwoman representing District 4. She is deputy director of Housing Now California, a coalition of over 150 organizations focused on preventing tenant displacement. She is a member of the LA chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and, if elected, would have been the city’s first Asian-American mayor.
Raman’s platform emphasized housing rights and affordability, tenant protection, and progressive approaches to homelessness. She positioned herself as more activist-oriented than Bass, advocating for more aggressive action on economic inequality.
Her third-place finish, though respectable at 21%, likely reflects the challenge of breaking through in a crowded primary where Bass held both incumbent advantage and institutional support, while Pratt’s self-funded campaign and celebrity status gave him outsized media visibility.
The Road to November
Bass and Pratt will face off in a November 3, 2026 runoff election. The dynamics of a two-person general election are fundamentally different from a 14-candidate primary. In a general election, the choice is binary, and voters who were divided among multiple primary challengers will coalesce around one or the other.
Bass will argue that she is a serious executive with a record in Congress and as mayor, qualified to lead a city of nearly 4 million people through genuine crises. She will highlight the 2025 wildfire recovery and homelessness progress, which are real accomplishments.
Pratt will argue that Bass’s record on infrastructure and public safety is inadequate, that the city remains unsafe and visibly deteriorated, and that an outsider is needed to challenge entrenched bureaucracy. His wealth, though a potential liability with progressive voters, insulates him from fundraising pressures and allows him to spend freely on advertising and campaign operations.
Polling from late May showed Bass ahead in general election matchups against Pratt, but the race will tighten significantly as both candidates campaign for five months. The 2025 wildfire recovery narrative will remain central to the campaign, as will homelessness, housing costs, and infrastructure.
National Implications
The Los Angeles mayoral race has national attention for several reasons. Los Angeles is the second-largest city in America, and its mayor faces issues that other major cities are grappling with: persistent homelessness, housing affordability, business departures to other states, and the challenge of balancing progressive governance with practical infrastructure needs.
Bass’s strong primary showing, despite these challenges, suggests that voters still value executive experience and a record of getting things done. Pratt’s competitive second-place finish suggests that dissatisfaction with progressivism on crime and homelessness remains a potent political force.
The race is also being watched closely by national Democrats and Republicans as a barometer of the Trump administration’s messaging about cities and governance. Bass has made her opposition to Trump’s immigration enforcement a central part of her campaign, particularly around ICE raids and federal immigration policy.
What Happens to Raman’s Coalition?
Raman finished third with 21%, ending her path to the general election. Her coalition of progressive activists, tenant rights advocates, and Democratic Socialists of America members is now available to be courted by both Bass and Pratt in the November runoff. Bass, who is herself a Democrat, has a structural advantage in appealing to Raman voters. But Pratt’s anti-establishment message may appeal to some progressive voters frustrated with Bass’s incremental approach to housing and homelessness.
Raman’s endorsement in the runoff, if she offers one, could be significant in a close race. As of election night, she has not publicly endorsed either candidate.
The Bottom Line
Karen Bass advances to the November runoff as the clear frontrunner after the June 2 primary, having secured 36% of the vote in a 14-candidate field. She will face Spencer Pratt, a reality TV personality who capitalized on voter dissatisfaction with Bass’s record on infrastructure and public safety to finish second at 29%.
The November 3 runoff will determine who leads Los Angeles for the next four years as the city continues recovering from the 2025 wildfires and grapples with homelessness, housing costs, and economic challenges. Bass is the incumbent with executive experience and a record of accomplishments. Pratt is the outsider challenger offering a sharp critique of that record and a willingness to challenge city bureaucracy.
Voters will make their final choice in November.
Related reading: Trump Immigration Policy Changes 2026 | What Are Your Rights During an ICE Raid?
