Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has overtaken Spencer Pratt for second place in the L.A. mayoral primary, advancing to a runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

Monday, June 8, 2026

Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has overtaken Spencer Pratt for second place in the L.A. mayoral primary, advancing to a runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

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Polarization score: 3/5

There is moderate polarization primarily driven by the divergent ideological labels applied to Raman. Bloomberg calls her a 'socialist,' Newsmax calls her 'progressive,' NBC identifies her as a 'Democrat,' and the NYT avoids labeling altogether. These different characterizations could shape reader perceptions significantly, though the basic facts of the story are consistent across outlets.

The core difference in coverage is how each outlet ideologically labels Nithya Raman — ranging from no label (NYT) to 'Democrat' (NBC) to 'progressive' (Newsmax) to 'socialist' (Bloomberg). This labeling choice fundamentally shapes how readers perceive the political significance of the race. Additionally, outlets differ on whether to center the narrative on Raman's rise or Pratt's fall, reflecting different editorial judgments about what makes the story newsworthy.

How each outlet framed it

Outlet	Framing	Emphasis	Missing
New York Times	The NYT frames the story as a competitive horse race between Raman and Pratt, with the focus on the shift in standings.	The competitive dynamic between Raman and Pratt, and the ongoing vote count.	No ideological labeling of Raman; lacks detail on policy positions or what her advancement means politically.
Newsmax	Newsmax labels Raman as 'progressive' and frames her advancement as a projection by the outlet itself, emphasizing her ideological positioning.	Raman's progressive political identity and Newsmax's own projection call.	Context about Spencer Pratt's celebrity background and why his candidacy attracted attention.
nbcnews	NBC News (first article) frames the story from Spencer Pratt's perspective, highlighting his drop to third place rather than Raman's rise.	Spencer Pratt's decline and the ongoing vote-counting process in California primaries.	Details about Raman's political background, ideology, or policy platform.
nbcnews	NBC News (second article) frames the story as a dramatic leap by Raman past Pratt in a tight and closely contested race.	The narrow margin and dramatic nature of the overtaking, identifying Raman as a Democrat.	Broader political implications of a progressive advancing to the runoff against the incumbent.
bloomberg	Bloomberg uses the most charged ideological framing, labeling Raman a 'socialist' and emphasizing the dramatic 'flip' against a reality TV star.	The ideological contrast by calling Raman a 'socialist' and the novelty of a reality TV star losing.	Nuance about Raman's actual political positions; 'socialist' is a more extreme label than other outlets used.