Additional Coverage:
Spencer Pratt has come under fire after falling to third place in the Los Angeles mayoral primary, sparking sharp online criticism as vote counting continues.
Initial results revealed Pratt slipping behind Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman in the nonpartisan primary held on June 7, 2026. Despite having the backing of former President Donald Trump, Pratt trailed Raman by over 3,000 votes, a margin of roughly 0.4 percentage points. This second-place position is crucial, as it secures a spot in the November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
In response to the shifting vote tally, Pratt posted a photo of Russell Crowe from A Beautiful Mind with the caption, “Me trying to figure out how votes get counted in LA.” However, the post quickly drew harsh reactions from social media users. Comments ranged from telling Pratt to leave the city to accusing him of embracing conspiracy theories instead of understanding the electoral process.
Raman’s surge aligns with a broader Democratic trend in California, where more ballots-including mail-in votes postmarked by Election Day but arriving afterward-are still being counted. While NBC News has projected Mayor Bass will advance to the runoff, the identity of her challenger remains unsettled as the tallying continues.
The prolonged counting process has fueled criticism from some Republicans. In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump questioned the extended timeline, saying, “Do you think it’s appropriate that they have an election and five days later, they’re nowhere close to picking a winner?” He did not present evidence to support allegations of election rigging.
California’s vote-by-mail system typically requires several days to finalize results, especially in tight races. Los Angeles County officials are expected to complete counting by July 2, with state certification scheduled for July 10.
The Republican National Committee has also voiced frustration, monitoring the ongoing count on its website and labeling California’s election system “a complete joke.” The RNC emphasized its scrutiny of every hour it takes to finalize the primary results.
As the race remains too close to call, voters and candidates alike await a final outcome that will shape the city’s leadership heading into the fall runoff.