In the latest development from the Los Angeles mayoral race, Spencer Pratt, known for his former reality TV fame, has been defeated.
On Monday at 7:55 p.m. ET, the Associated Press declared that Nithya Raman, a progressive candidate, will face off against the current Democratic Mayor, Karen Bass, in a runoff election.
Initially, Pratt held the second spot, but on Sunday, Raman overtook him as more mail-in ballots were tallied. These ballots, which could be submitted until 8 p.m. on Election Day, typically favor liberal and Democratic candidates.
Former President Donald Trump intervened by dispatching a senior Justice Department official to Los Angeles on Friday, alleging without evidence that California’s Democrats were manipulating the election results.
Pratt, a Republican, made waves in the political scene by launching a campaign against Bass, driven by personal grievances after losing his $3 million residence to the Palisades fire last year.
Spencer Pratt gained public attention as a cast member on the reality series, The Hills, where he met his wife, Heidi Montag.
Pratt got a boost from user-created AI videos and his own team’s creative ads, in which the reality veteran pledged to be a change agent to tackle the city’s massive homeless problem.
The Associated Press declared that Bass would advance to the November election on Tuesday night, but it took days to count the outstanding mail-in ballots to determine her opponent.
Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican running for Los Angeles mayor, addresses the press outside his watch party at a Los Angeles Mexican restaurant Tuesday night
Spencer Pratt’s wife Heidi Montag is seen departing Tuesday night’s election results watch party
Nithya Raman, a progressive member of LA’s City Council, became emotional during her Election Night remarks as she appeared to come in a distant third place
In California, the two top vote-getters moved on to a November runoff regardless of party.
On Election Night, Raman became emotional when addressing her supporters, as she appeared to be in a distant third place.
Pratt, on the other hand, voiced confidence that he would make the runoff race.
‘She knows it’s on,’ Pratt said of Bass when addressing reporters outside of Don Antonio’s, a Mexican restaurant, where he and Montag were holding a private watch party with family members and supporters.
‘I hope she’s ready. I literally could not be more excited,’ Pratt added.
In a Friday post, Pratt posted pictures of himself posing in front of the LA City Hall.
‘Patience,’ he told supporters.
But as more ballots got counted, Raman began to overtake the former reality TV star.
Spencer Pratt posted pictures of himself outside of LA City Hall on Friday and told his supporters ‘patience’ as the count continued to come in
Billy Bush speaks outside of Spencer Pratt’s election night watch party Tuesday as the votes were being counted
Journalists were told to wait outside Spencer Pratt’s election night watch party, so TV reporters were forced to do their live shots from the street
Supporter Gregg Donovan wore a top hat and held up a Spencer Pratt sign outside of Don Antonio’s
Comedian Heather McDonald attended Spencer Pratt’s election night party in Los Angeles Tuesday night
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She’s considered a much more threatening challenger to Bass, who took heat last year for being at an embassy cocktail party in Ghana when the fires were raging, according to the LA Times.
Democrats outnumber Republicans in LA County three to one.
Raman entered the mayoral race in February, just hours before the filing deadline, despite previously being a political ally of Bass.
She was backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, who saw success in New York City with the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who easily won the general election in November.
