Socialist Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, who finished third in the primary on Tuesday and had thought she was out of contention – the two top finishers advance to the fall election – has benefited the most from late-ballot surges.
She is now in second place behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, with Pratt on the outside looking in at third place. “Pratt, a Republican, had led earlier in the day, but the latest tally now shows Raman, a Democrat, ahead by more than 3,000 votes, or about 0.4 percentage points, in the officially nonpartisan mayoral race,” Fox News reported, citing The Associated Press’s vote tallies.
The AP has yet to call the race, however. California’s election system allows ballots to arrive up to seven days after polls close, provided they are postmarked on election day.
She is now in second place behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, with Pratt on the outside looking in at third place. “Pratt, a Republican, had led earlier in the day, but the latest tally now shows Raman, a Democrat, ahead by more than 3,000 votes, or about 0.4 percentage points, in the officially nonpartisan mayoral race,” Fox News reported, citing The Associated Press’s vote tallies
Republicans are furious and are crying foul.
Shocker. THEY DID IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! Outlaw election month, outlaw late mail in ballots, and require universal voter ID and citizenship!” Florida’s Voice chief content officer Eric Daugherty wrote on the X platform.
“The California primary ended on June 2, 2026; yet California is still counting ballots,” the RNC website tracker counting the seconds since polls closed said as of late Sunday.
“A magical late mail performance for Raman
“The state’s election system is a complete joke. The RNC is tracking every hour it takes California to finish the count,” it added.
Pratt and other Republicans have continued to criticize the prolonged ballot-counting process, arguing that voters deserve faster election results and greater transparency as outstanding ballots continue to be tabulated days after Election Day, Fox noted.
“The question to the rest of the world is what happened to California elections? Well, I’ll tell you, it’s Gavin Newsom,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
🚨 BREAKING: NITHYA RAMAN OVERTAKES SPENCER PRATT FOR LA MAYOR, *strongly* wins late mail-in drop
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 8, 2026
RAMAN ADVANCES to runoff against Karen Bass, Pratt is locked out — VoteHub
Just WOW. UNBELIEVABLE!!
LA MAIL DROP tonight:
🔵 Nithya Raman: 19,096 (39.9%) ‼️
🔵 Karen Bass: 15,691… pic.twitter.com/cgaHTTbz4S
Pratt and other Republicans have continued to criticize the prolonged ballot-counting process, arguing that voters deserve faster election results and greater transparency as outstanding ballots continue to be tabulated days after Election Day, Fox noted
Now it takes more than weeks, almost a month,” he continued.
“The question to the rest of the world is what happened to California elections? Well, I’ll tell you, it’s Gavin Newsom,” McCarthy told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “When Gavin Newsom was elected governor of California, you knew who was elected in a day to two days. Now it takes more than weeks, almost a month.”
President Donald Trump on Thursday accused “Dumocrats” of stealing California’s elections amid delayed vote counts and said that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the situation.
“When Gavin Newsom was elected governor of California, you knew who was elected in a day to two days
Trump made his comments while the state counted the votes from Tuesday’s jungle primaries for California governor and Los Angeles mayor.
Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting DELAY???” Trump posted.
“Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote. I hope the Republicans are watching so that they can finally pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!” Trump posted Thursday afternoon.
