In the latest developments from California’s election scene, Spencer Pratt, a former reality star and registered Republican, is seeing his lead diminish in the Los Angeles mayoral race. Pratt is vying for a spot in the November general election but trails significantly behind incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who has already secured enough votes to advance.

According to the latest vote count from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder and the County Clerk, Pratt holds a near 6% lead over Councilwoman Nithya Raman, with 163,549 votes to Raman’s 130,473. However, Raman gained over 10,000 votes in the latest count, compared to Pratt’s increase of under 6,000 votes.

Gubernatorial Race Dynamics

In the gubernatorial race, Republican candidate Steve Hilton has fallen behind Democrat Tom Steyer. The latest batch of votes added nearly 24,000 to Steyer’s tally, almost double the 12,309 votes Hilton received. Both candidates are trailing frontrunner Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services Secretary under President Joe Biden, who saw his vote total increase from 390,154 to 418,130.

California’s election process is under scrutiny as it serves as a testing ground for progressive leadership. The state, known for its extensive use of mail-in ballots, saw 81% of voters casting their votes by post in 2024, significantly higher than the national average. A bipartisan bill passed in 2025 now requires ‘non-problematic’ votes to be counted within 13 days, aiming to expedite the process.

As the counting continues, the political landscape in California remains dynamic, with both local and national implications. The results of these elections could shape the future of leadership in the state and potentially influence broader political trends across the country.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.