Staff Reports
Los Angeles voters watched a strange mix of Hollywood spectacle and old-fashioned politics play out in the mayoral primary this week. Decision Desk HQ projected that incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and councilmember Nithya Raman will finish as the top two and likely head to a November runoff. Reality TV star Spencer Pratt, the Republican wildcard, slipped to third as late mail ballots shifted the tally.
Primary projection: Bass and Raman move on
With roughly 87 percent of ballots tallied, Mayor Karen Bass led with about 34.7 percent, Nithya Raman had about 27.1 percent, and Spencer Pratt trailed at roughly 26.7 percent. The projected result turns the race into a Democratic versus Democrat choice in November — even though the city’s mayoral contest is technically nonpartisan. For conservatives in Los Angeles, that should be a wake-up call: two candidates from the same party means the real debate about outcomes and ideas may never happen unless voters demand it.
Pratt’s late-count hopes and the mail-in reality
Pratt hasn’t conceded. He’s pointed to California’s ballot rules and said his campaign could wait until July 6 for all ballots to be counted. That matters because California allows ballots postmarked up to seven days after Election Day to be included. Late-counted mail ballots in the state have a pattern of leaning toward Democratic candidates, and that trend showed up again as Pratt’s early lead dwindled. So no, this was not just a cliffhanger — it was the predictable rhythm of modern California voting.
What this result means for Los Angeles
This outcome says a lot about the city’s political mood. Voters chose two Democrats to advance, and an attention-grabbing celebrity couldn’t quite swing the contest for the GOP. That leaves Los Angelenos with a choice between two left-leaning visions for public safety, homelessness, housing, and business policy. Conservatives should be blunt: when one party dominates city government, real debate about whether policies are working can disappear. If taxpayers and small businesses want different results, they’ll need a clear, practical alternative — not another Instagram-ready campaign stunt.
Conclusion: Prepare for a one-sided runoff and rethink strategy
The projected Bass-Raman runoff is the likely reality unless late ballots change the math — and that’s always possible under California rules. For Republicans and independent-minded voters, the lesson is simple. Stop treating elections like TV episodes and start building real campaigns with real issues that resonate on the ground. Los Angeles deserves a serious debate about results, not a rerun of the same ideas that got the city into its current mess. If conservatives want a seat at the table, it’s time to stop watching and start organizing.
