Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Advances to November Runoff Election

Jun 3, 2026

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has advanced to a November runoff, with Councilmember Nithya Raman and reality TV star Spencer Pratt in a tight race for the second spot. The election is heavily influenced by the 2025 Palisades Fire and the city's homelessness crisis. Pratt, a newcomer backed by Donald Trump, is challenging Bass's record, while Raman, a progressive, criticizes the incumbent's policies on housing and homelessness.

LA mayoral primary results

▪A runoff is required because no candidate secured a majority of over 50% in the primary election.
▪A May 28 UC Berkeley-LA Times poll showed Karen Bass with 26% support, Nithya Raman with 25%, and Spencer Pratt with 22%.
▪Through May 16, Spencer Pratt reported $3.26 million in campaign contributions, surpassing Karen Bass's $3.13 million.
▪Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has advanced to the November runoff election in her bid for reelection.
▪With about 63% of votes counted, Karen Bass led with 35%, Spencer Pratt had 30%, and Nithya Raman had 22%.

Palisades Fire political impact

▪Spencer Pratt, a political newcomer, lost his home in the January 2025 Palisades Fire.
▪The hotly contested mayoral race has drawn national attention, fueled by events like the 2025 Palisades and Eaton Fires.
▪Spencer Pratt stated his entry into politics was motivated by the city's negligence and alleged coverups in the months after the fire.

Spencer Pratt residency controversy

▪Spencer Pratt also stated he lived in an Airstream trailer on his burnt-out Pacific Palisades property.
▪In an April social media post, Spencer Pratt said he had been living at his father's rental home in Santa Barbara County after the fire.
▪The Los Angeles Times questioned Spencer Pratt's residency and eligibility to run for mayor.

Bass administration record

▪During her term, Mayor Karen Bass faced challenges including Hollywood labor strikes, the Palisades Fire, and a $1 billion city budget shortfall.
▪Karen Bass has received endorsements from Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
▪Karen Bass's administration claims to have averted layoffs during the budgetary crisis and reduced the number of unhoused residents.

Raman homelessness policy approach

▪In 2025, Nithya Raman introduced a successful motion to cap annual rent increases for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments built before 1978.
▪Nithya Raman's homelessness plan includes using short-term rental subsidies, which she claims are a third of the cost of other programs.
▪Former President Donald Trump appeared to back Spencer Pratt's campaign, stating he'd like to see the candidate "do well."

Trump backing Pratt campaign

▪Spencer Pratt is a registered Republican who is running for mayor as an independent.
▪Spencer Pratt's campaign received donations from high-profile figures including Google co-founder Sergey Brin and the Winklevoss twins.