Overview
- The June 2 primary left former reality star Spencer Pratt in a competitive second place behind Mayor Karen Bass with a substantial portion of California mail‑in ballots still to be tallied.
- Pratt’s late surge rested on viral, AI‑augmented ads and roughly $2.7 million raised in a short period that lifted him from obscurity into legitimate contention.
- President Donald Trump publicly praised Pratt, a development that has nationalized the race and that analysts say could hurt Pratt in a city where Trump is deeply unpopular.
- California rules allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted for days after the vote, a process that often favors Democratic candidates and could narrow or erase Pratt’s early lead.
- If Pratt advances to a November runoff he will face steep structural hurdles in heavily liberal Los Angeles where combined support for Bass and progressive rivals currently outnumbers his vote total and where voters and advocacy groups have highlighted his positions on immigration enforcement.