Spencer Pratt Responds to Tight Race for L.A. Mayor

Spencer Pratt, currently in third place for the Los Angeles mayoral race, has urged patience during the ongoing vote counting process. Pratt emphasized that a fraction of a percentage point separates him from second place, where hundreds of thousands of ballots still await counting. According to the Los Angeles City Council’s recent update, Councilmember Nithya Raman holds second with 27.1% of the votes, leading Pratt who has 26.7%.

Meanwhile, in the closely-watched 6th Congressional District race in Northern California, independent Kevin Kiley leads with 25.4% over Democrat Richard Pan at 22.8% and Republican Michael Stansfield at 21.2%.

Karen Bass, the current L.A. mayor, has secured her spot in the November election. Her campaign remains optimistic against potential opponents Raman or Pratt. Her spokesperson noted Raman’s controversial stances, particularly on encampments and public safety, while remaining critical of her other positions.

With mail-in ballots still being accepted until Tuesday, city officials estimate that approximately 368,000 ballots remain uncounted in Los Angeles County.

Political analysts like Michael Trujillo doubt Pratt’s ability to reclaim second place, citing his current standing as stagnant. UCLA’s Zev Yaroslavsky also highlighted Raman’s steady gains over recent days, predicting her stronger likelihood to advance to the runoff.

Former President Trump reiterated unsubstantiated claims of election rigging in California, mentioning the mayoral race as evidence. Despite Raman’s lead over Pratt, the Associated Press has yet to confirm the primary’s final results.

Officials emphasize the importance of counting every vote, highlighting California’s extensive mail-in voting process. This method allows postmarked ballots from election day to be considered valid until they reach county officials within the subsequent week.

A consultant unaffiliated with the L.A. mayoral candidates expressed skepticism regarding Pratt’s chances to secure a spot in the runoff against Bass. Trujillo noted, “He’s close to flatlining at this point,” suggesting the race is starting to favor Raman.