Nithya Raman Closes in on Spencer Pratt’s Lead in LA Mayoral Primary
TL/DR –
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is closing the gap on reality television personality Spencer Pratt in the city mayoral primary. Pratt now leads Raman by just one percentage point or 7,494 votes, a significant decrease from previous tallies. Experts predict that Raman is likely to surpass Pratt as mail-in ballots, primarily from Raman’s left-of-center and younger voter base, are counted.
Los Angeles Mayoral Race Tightens; Nithya Raman Closes-in on Spencer Pratt
Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt’s lead in the Los Angeles mayor race narrows with Councilmember Nithya Raman inching closer. According to the latest results from the LA County Registrar-Recorder, Pratt holds just over 27% of the vote, barely leading Raman’s 26% by 7,494 votes.
“Raman’s consistent gain suggests she might eventually overtake Pratt unless his voter demographics shift favorably,” said Paul Mitchell, vice president of bipartisan voter data firm Political Data Inc.
Michael Trujillo, an independent Democratic consultant, echoes Mitchell’s prediction. “Pratt seems stagnant while Raman looks set for a runoff. I believe it’s game over for Pratt.”
The runner-up in the mayoral primary will challenge Mayor Karen Bass in a Nov. 3 runoff. The Associated Press confirmed Bass’s qualification for the runoff last election night.
Raman has been gradually eroding Pratt’s lead as the mail-in ballots are counted. In the latest vote update, Raman received 23,514 votes against Pratt’s 10,336.
Election analysts projected Raman’s gain, considering her left-of-center base and younger, more progressive voters who typically delay their voting decision.
Despite the nonpartisan nature of the mayoral race, Pratt’s Republican label poses a challenge in the Democratic majority city. A recent UC Berkeley Institute poll had Pratt trailing behind Bass and Raman.
Raman dominates precincts with progressive politics and younger demographics, such as Hollywood and Highland Park, including her home base of Silver Lake. Conversely, Pratt was favored in neighborhoods that previously supported real estate developer Rick Caruso, including Pacific Palisades, Westside, Encino, and others.
County election officials will accept mail-in ballots with an election day postmark until Tuesday.
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