Spencer Pratt’s official response to his crushing defeat in Los Angeles’ mayoral race was anything but straightforward. The Republican, who dominated the race online and across social media, simply posted an image of a duck swimming across a lake as the sun set in the background.
The post sparked a wave of speculation about its meaning and showcased the support Pratt still commands as thousands of supporters rallied behind the image even after he failed to advance to the city’s general election in November, despite leading the race early on.
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) June 9, 2026
With 95 percent of the vote counted as of Tuesday night, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass leads with 34.3 percent support, while progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman trails closely behind at 29 percent. Pratt sits in third place with 25.5 percent of the vote, according to data from The New York Times.
Despite losing to Raman by roughly 30,000 votes, Pratt held a significant early lead of nearly 10 points, generating a wave of excitement among Republicans who had grown fond of his personality and campaign, as he effectively turned Los Angeles into a campaign ad against Democratic incumbents and the policies many blame for the city’s decline.
DDHQ Race Update (est. 50% in): Los Angeles Mayor Primary
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 3, 2026
Karen Bass (N): 132,172 (36.5%)
Spencer Pratt (N): 108,949 (30.1%)
Nithya Raman (N): 73,008 (20.2%)
Follow more results here:https://t.co/jMjVNX80P3 pic.twitter.com/ZdHhJJV07O
Even Nithya Raman appeared to be bracing for defeat, tearfully thanking her supporters and staff for believing in her. But any expectation of a loss proved premature, as a wave of mail-in ballots counted over the weekend pushed Raman ahead in the race.
LATEST in L.A. Mayors Race:
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) June 8, 2026
Nithya Raman benefits the most in the latest ballot dump on Sunday.
Raman +19,096 votes
Bass +15,691 votes
Pratt +8,489 votes
Raman pulls ahead of Pratt into second place and is leading Pratt by 3,113 votes pic.twitter.com/6U4S1MAIg1
It remains unclear whether Pratt will remain active in politics in the near future. I, for one, would like to see a partnership with Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, as the pair would make for a formidable team as they fight against the single-party rule that defines the state of California.
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