Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has come out ahead in Tuesday's heated primary election, but with less than 50% of the vote, she will have to defend her seat in the November general election. Bass, who made history as the first woman to lead the city when she took office in 2023, now faces a challenging path to re-election.
Primary Results and Runoff Opponents
Bass will face either Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star known for his role on The Hills, or city council member Nithya Raman in November. As of Tuesday evening, it remained unclear which candidate would advance to the runoff. The race has taken an unsettled turn in its final weeks, with Pratt making substantial gains in polling and sparking national attention through controversial campaign videos and a combative debate performance.
Key Issues Facing the Next Mayor
Los Angeles's next mayor will be tasked with showing progress in curbing the homelessness crisis, an issue that has long vexed the nation's second-most populous city. Additionally, the mayor must revitalize Hollywood amid a production exodus and shore up emergency response programs after last year's deadly wildfires. The homelessness crisis remains a central concern, with Bass's Inside Safe program—which clears encampments and secures interim housing—facing scrutiny after a Los Angeles Times report found that 40% of participants were back on the streets after its third year.
Bass's Tenure and Controversies
Bass was initially met with high approval ratings when she assumed office in 2023, triumphing over billionaire developer Rick Caruso in the 2022 election. Before her time in city hall, she served in the state assembly and US Congress. In her first month in office, she declared a state of emergency on homelessness to expedite the construction of temporary and permanent housing. However, discontent with her tenure erupted when she traveled to Ghana on an ill-timed diplomatic trip coinciding with the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles last January. Her absence, coupled with reports about budget cuts to the fire department, sparked calls for her resignation. Bass later called the trip a "mistake" and said she would not have gone abroad if she had been informed of the fire risk, despite the National Weather Service issuing warnings about "critical fire conditions" before her trip. Her approval ratings fell, and she later sacked the city fire chief.
Spencer Pratt's Campaign
Pratt's entry into the race, announced in January, was spurred by the loss of his Pacific Palisades home in the 2025 wildfires. He has made the fires and Bass's response to them central to his campaign. Pratt first rose to infamy on The Hills, the hit MTV show that aired between 2006 and 2010. His angry outbursts and tumultuous relationship with his now wife, co-star Heidi Montag, earned him a reputation as one of reality TV's most infamous villains. Two decades later, that irate current has coursed through his social media presence. Pratt has shared AI-generated videos portraying him as a vigilante hero tasked with rescuing the city's residents from apathetic political elites. Critics have pointed out his lack of political experience, concerns he has brushed off, stating, "I'm a lifelong Angeleno who's seen my home city waste away under poor leadership. THAT is my experience." Donald Trump, deeply unpopular in LA, voiced support for him, but Pratt distanced himself from the endorsement, emphasizing his focus on local issues.
Nithya Raman's Platform
Raman, a Democratic socialist, regards herself as the change needed to steer the city in the right direction. In 2020, she unseated councilman David Ryu in a victory that encouraged leftist candidates across the nation. She has touted her record capping rent increases and slashing encampments by half in her district, making housing central to her campaign. While Bass and Raman are aligned on many issues, they have proposed different approaches. Raman has criticized Bass's Inside Safe program for spending money without results and has proposed reforms to incorporate data and metrics for better oversight. The two have also clashed over Raman's votes against a proposal to hire more firefighters after last year's wildfires and an anti-homeless camping ordinance, which Raman described as a short-term fix.
Endorsements and Support
Prominent California Democrats, including Governor Gavin Newsom and former vice-president Kamala Harris, have supported Bass's re-election campaign. Pratt, meanwhile, has the backing of celebrities like Joe Rogan and Paris Hilton, and has received donations from LA Lakers executive Jeanie Buss and Atlantic Records CEO Elliot Grainge. The race remains highly competitive as the city grapples with critical issues.
