Xavier Becerra sits outside this Los Angeles mayor race, but Karen Bass does not: she is running for a second term while facing two serious challengers. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two from the all-party primary advance to the general election.
Karen Bass and the majority rule
The race matters because a majority would settle it in one round. Karen Bass, as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, is trying to avoid the runoff path while carrying major criticism of her time in office.
That setup leaves voters with a narrow choice on Election Day 2026: decide the race outright, or send the top two candidates into a later contest. For readers following the primary, the practical question is simple — whether one candidate can cross the majority line or whether the field stays open.
Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman
One of Bass’s challengers is Spencer Pratt, a Republican whose home burned in the 2025 Palisades Fire. His candidacy adds a personal angle to a race already defined by Bass’s bid for a second term.
The other is Nithya Raman, a City Council member, former Bass ally, and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Her challenge signals that Bass is facing pressure not only from outside her political orbit, but from within it as well.
Los Angeles Mayor Primary 2026
Los Angeles Mayor Primary 2026 is now the test of whether Bass can keep the election from moving beyond the first round. A majority win would end the contest immediately; anything less sends the top two candidates onward.
For Los Angeles voters, the next step is the same one the system requires every time: watch whether one candidate clears half the vote. If not, the race continues into the general election with Bass still under the same challenge, and the field narrowed to two.
