Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman became emotional on election night as her path to the Los Angeles mayoral runoff appeared to slip away, while reality television star Spencer Pratt continued one of the most surprising political surges of the 2026 election cycle.
With a majority of ballots counted Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass secured a spot in the November runoff, while Pratt opened a significant lead over Raman for second place.
According to election results, Bass led the field with 34.8% of the vote, followed by Pratt at 30.4%. Raman trailed in third place with 22.3%, leaving her campaign facing an increasingly difficult climb as additional ballots were counted.
The emotional moment that quickly spread across social media came during Raman’s election night event, where the councilmember appeared visibly tearful while addressing supporters.
“I’ve been a candidate for something as long as you can remember,” Raman said while fighting back emotion. “And you’ve had to live through it with me. And you’ve been so patient through all of it. Thank you.”
“I hope you know that everything, every person in this room is fighting for in this campaign has been about building a city that’s worthy of you and every child in this city,” she said.
WATCH:
!function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src=”https://rumble.com/embedJS/u9lmzn”+(arguments[1].video?’.’+arguments[1].video:”)+”/?url=”+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+”&args=”+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, “script”, “Rumble”);
Rumble(“play”, {“video”:”v78l77k”,”div”:”rumble_v78l77k”});
The remarks came as election returns showed Pratt steadily pulling away in the race for the second runoff spot. Raman, who represents Los Angeles City Council District 4, has long been one of the city’s most prominent progressive voices. Before winning her council seat in 2020, she built a reputation as a housing advocate focused on homelessness and affordable housing issues.
A self-described democratic socialist, Raman has frequently supported expanded housing construction, tenant protections, and government-led initiatives aimed at addressing the city’s homelessness crisis. But Tuesday’s results suggested many voters may have been looking for a different direction.
Pratt’s rise has stunned political observers across California. Best known for starring on MTV’s reality television series The Hills, Pratt entered the race as a political outsider with little traditional political experience. What initially appeared to many as a long-shot candidacy gradually gained momentum as voter frustration mounted over homelessness, crime concerns, affordability challenges, and dissatisfaction with city leadership.
Pratt’s campaign received an additional boost from his personal connection to one of the city’s biggest tragedies. He and his family lost their home in the devastating Palisades Fire in 2025, an experience he frequently referenced while criticizing local government responses and preparedness efforts. As the campaign entered its final weeks, Pratt increasingly positioned himself as a voice for voters who believed City Hall had failed to adequately address Los Angeles’ most pressing problems.
While Bass successfully advanced to the general election, she fell well short of an outright majority, ensuring a lengthy and potentially difficult runoff campaign. Her administration continues to face criticism over homelessness, public safety concerns, and the city’s handling of wildfire-related issues.
For now, the biggest unanswered question is whether late-arriving ballots can narrow the gap between Pratt and Raman. While vote counting is ongoing, Pratt appears firmly positioned to claim the second runoff spot and potentially set up a high-profile November showdown with Bass.
If current trends hold, one of the most unlikely candidates in recent Los Angeles political history may soon find himself competing for the city’s top job.
