Nithya Raman Surges Ahead of Spencer Pratt in LA Mayoral Race

Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member, has moved ahead of former reality television personality Spencer Pratt in the race for the Los Angeles mayoral runoff following the latest vote updates. Raman secured roughly 40% of the newly counted ballots, totaling nearly 48,000 votes, and gained approximately 10,000 votes, while Pratt opened with a lead of about 3,000 votes overall.

Despite this shift, the race remains a close call as additional ballots await counting. Political observers note that California's vote counting process often favors Democratic candidates, particularly with mail-in ballots arriving closer to election day.

Raman's rise in the vote count has been notable, as she consistently outperformed both Pratt and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass during the updates over the weekend. Bass has indicated a strategic approach for the potential November contest against Raman, criticizing the council member's record on key issues affecting the city, including job protection and immigration-related concerns.