Trump praised Spencer Pratt’s campaign and alleged that fraudulent late-counted votes pushed Nithya Raman into the November runoff. Certified results show Raman ultimately finished second, while Los Angeles County says legally cast mail ballots continued to be processed after Election Day.
President Trump is renewing his criticism of the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral primary, alleging that “fake votes” cost Spencer Pratt a place in the November runoff.
During remarks on September 30, President Trump praised Pratt’s campaign and said the former reality television personality appeared positioned to advance based on the initial election-night count. “But then the fake votes kicked in.”
Pratt Was in Second Place on Election Night
Pratt did hold second place in the early returns after the June 2 primary. As additional ballots were processed over the following days, Councilmember Nithya Raman narrowed the gap and eventually moved ahead of him.
The Los Angeles County results show Mayor Karen Bass finishing first with 292,593 votes, or 34.27%. Raman finished second with 247,781 votes, or 29.02%, while Pratt finished third with 217,977 votes, or 25.53%.
Trump disputed that shift in the count, saying Raman received “thousands and thousands of votes out of nowhere” and calling the result “very crooked.” He also said Pratt “did a great job” and praised his focus on crime and street conditions.
Why the Count Continued After Election Night
Los Angeles County election results were not final on election night. Under California rules, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can still be counted if they arrive within seven days. Election officials also continue processing provisional and other ballots that require verification during the canvass.
The county’s vote-by-mail guidance states that ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days are processed, verified and counted.
That process caused the standings to change over several days. The Los Angeles Times reported on June 4 that Raman had narrowed Pratt’s election-night lead, and by June 7 she had moved into second place.
Questions on the Integrity of the Result
President Trump also said during the September 30 remarks that the election “never ended” and argued that the late movement in the count showed the system was not trustworthy. He used the Los Angeles race to renew his support for voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements, something the vast and overwhelming majority of Americans support.
Trump additionally claimed that Raman had effectively acknowledged defeat on election night. However, a PolitiFact review found that Raman had not conceded and that she spoke before the release of the initial results.
For now, the certified result remains Bass and Raman advancing to the November 3 runoff, with Pratt finishing third.
