Nithya Raman has secured a place in the November Los Angeles mayoral election after overtaking reality television star Spencer Pratt in the final stages of vote counting following the June 2 primary, according to projections by CNN.
Raman, a progressive Democrat and Los Angeles City Council member, will face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a two-candidate race later this year. Bass had already been projected to advance on election night, while the battle for second place remained too close to call.
As additional ballots were counted in the days after the primary, Raman steadily widened her lead over Pratt. Across all votes reported since election night, she gained approximately 43,000 votes on the Republican candidate and increased her overall vote share by about five percentage points.
I'm incredibly honored that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles.
— Nithya Raman (@nithyavraman) June 9, 2026
To the thousands of supporters who knocked doors, made calls, sent texts, donated, and opened their homes for events across the city, and to everyone…
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Her strongest performance came over the weekend, when she captured roughly 40% of votes in successive ballot batches, compared with Pratt's 18%, reported BBC.
Who is Nithya Raman?
Raman, a 44-year-old urban planner, has represented Los Angeles on the City Council since 2020. Although she entered the mayoral race with a progressive platform, she did not receive an endorsement from any of her fellow council members.
The councilwoman has frequently been compared to Zohran Mamdani, with both politicians sharing ties to the Democratic Socialists of America.
The November election is expected to focus on key issues facing Los Angeles, including homelessness, public safety, housing affordability and the city's response to natural disasters and climate-related challenges.
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