Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has overtaken reality TV personality Spencer Pratt in the city's mayoral primary, now holding second place with 27.1% of votes counted compared to Pratt's 26.7%.Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass leads with 34.7% and is already confirmed for the November 3 runoff.Analysts attribute Raman's surge to the gradual counting of mail-in ballots, which often favor progressive candidates and younger voters.

Political observers note similarities with the 2022 mayoral race, when Bass trailed on election night but ultimately won after mail-in ballots were tallied.Raman now leads Pratt by over 3,000 votes.

Her campaign emphasizes her record on city issues, including housing and homelessness, while criticizing Bass for police contracts and the Convention Center project.Conversely, Bass and her supporters have questioned Raman's consistency on several policy positions.

Pratt, a registered Republican and media personality, initially led on election night, appealing to conservative voters, but his support has flattened as mail-in ballots were counted.

If Raman advances to the runoff, polls suggest she could pose a significant challenge to Bass, leveraging her progressive platform and social media presence.