Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Council member Nithya Raman will face off in a November runoff election after emerging as the top two finishers in the city’s mayoral primary, NBC News projects.
The all-party primary featured several candidates, including former reality television personality Spencer Pratt, but no candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Bass, who was first elected mayor in 2022, entered the race facing criticism over her handling of last year’s devastating wildfires and ongoing concerns about homelessness and public services. Despite those challenges, she advanced to the general election and expressed confidence about her reelection prospects.
The political news that affects your wallet, your rights and your vote, broken down in plain language. Free in your inbox.
Raman, a progressive council member and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, launched her campaign by arguing that Los Angeles needs more aggressive action on housing, homelessness and city services. She has positioned herself as a reform-minded alternative to the current administration.
The runoff sets up a high-profile contest between two Democrats with differing visions for the city’s future. While Bass has emphasized experience and progress made during her administration, Raman has focused on the need for broader policy changes and faster action on key issues facing residents.
Pratt briefly appeared positioned to claim a runoff spot on election night, but later vote counts shifted toward Democratic candidates, allowing Raman to move ahead. California’s vote-counting process often sees later-arriving ballots favor Democratic candidates, a trend that played out across several races in the state.
The race is expected to draw national attention in the months ahead as voters weigh competing approaches to issues including homelessness, housing affordability, public safety and disaster recovery.
