Three candidates vie for Los Angeles mayor in Tuesday primary

The Story

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass faces two primary challengers in the June 2 election: conservative reality TV personality Spencer Pratt and progressive city council member Nithya Raman. A UC Berkeley/LA Times poll shows Bass with 26% support, Raman with 25%, and Pratt with 22%; if no one wins a majority, the top two go to a November runoff.

Key Facts

• California Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed Mayor Karen Bass on Thursday, May 28.
• Spencer Pratt gained fame as a “self-described villain” on “The Hills” and says he was inspired to run after his house burned in last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed nearly 7,000 structures and killed 12 people.
• Pratt is a Republican, a COVID-19 vaccine denier who sells crystals online, and has the support of President Trump and Joe Rogan.
• City council member Nithya Raman is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is running to the left of Bass.
• Raman fought to lower rent increases, supported a $30-an-hour minimum wage for hotel workers, and opposed police pay raises. The police union and real estate interests have spent nearly $1 million in attack ads against her.
• Bass says street homelessness dropped almost 18% from 2023 to 2025, but her unfavorable rating tops 50%.
• More than 40,000 people are homeless in Los Angeles. Housing experts say the main driver is a lack of affordable housing, while Pratt says drugs are the key cause and advocates arrests and rehabilitation.
• The primary is Tuesday, June 2. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two vote-getters will face off in a November runoff.
• Poll (UC Berkeley/LA Times): Bass 26%, Raman 25%, Pratt 22%.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

• Who will advance to the November runoff, if no candidate wins a majority on June 2.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Karen Bass: Incumbent Mayor of Los Angeles (age 72)
• Spencer Pratt: Candidate, conservative reality TV personality (age 42)
• Nithya Raman: Candidate, city council member, Democratic Socialists of America (age 44)
• Gavin Newsom: California Governor
• Frank Stoltze: Reporter for LAist News

Sources: NPR