UMVA has learned that a dramatic shift is unfolding in the Los Angeles mayoral contest, as former reality star Spencer Pratt's lead over councilwoman Nithya Raman has narrowed significantly.
Pratt, a registered Republican, still holds a near 6% lead on Raman, with 163,549 votes compared to Raman's 130,473 votes, according to the latest tabulation from Los Angeles County. However, Raman made significant gains in the latest count, adding over 10,000 votes to her total.
In a stunning turn of events, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has been overtaken by billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer. Steyer surged ahead with nearly 24,000 new votes, almost double the 12,309 votes that Hilton received in the latest count.
The California elections have taken on national significance, serving as critical testing grounds for the future of progressive leadership. With the devastating Los Angeles wildfires still fresh in voters' minds, the stakes are high for the candidates vying for top spots.
Incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass has already secured enough votes to advance to the November general election, leaving Pratt far behind. Meanwhile, the gubernatorial race remains tight, with frontrunner Xavier Becerra maintaining a strong lead.
Like the mayoral race, the gubernatorial contest may head to a November runoff if no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes. With California's polls closed on June 2, it could take weeks for results to be final, as the state continues to count mail-in ballots.
California leads the nation in mail-in ballots, with 81% of voters sending their choices by post. The state's election process has come under scrutiny, with a bipartisan bill passed in 2025 requiring "non-problematic" votes to be counted within 13 days.
