Primary Results: Bass vs. Pratt LA Runoff Set, Hilton-Becerra to Face Off in California Governor's Race

California just held its June 3 primary elections, and two high-profile races are shaping up to be the big stories of the fall — one for governor of the entire state, and one for mayor of Los Angeles. Here's what you need to know.

The California Governor's Race

Gov. Gavin Newsom is term-limited and can't run again, so California is picking a new governor from scratch. A crowded field of roughly 61 candidates entered the race, leaving voters highly fragmented. But two names have broken through. Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra appeared headed to November's general election as they held the top two spots in the gubernatorial primary.

Who are these guys? Steve Hilton is a former Fox News host who has never run for elected office before. He saw a boost in support after being endorsed by President Donald Trump in April. On the other side, Xavier Becerra is a former state attorney general and U.S. health secretary. Speaking to supporters, Becerra said he had been "outspent by a ton" — a reference to billionaire Democratic rival Tom Steyer — and even faced calls to drop out earlier in the race. He's framing his path to the top as a genuine underdog story.

Former Rep. Katie Porter conceded and won't advance to the two-candidate runoff for California governor. Big-money Democrat Tom Steyer is currently in third and fading. Steyer appeared poised to make a potential late push as ballots continued to be counted, but it remains unclear if he'll gain enough votes to catch up to Hilton and Becerra.

This is a genuinely unusual matchup: in California, all candidates run on the same primary ballot and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, move on to the general election. That means you could end up with two Democrats, two Republicans, or one of each facing off in November — and this year, it's shaping up to be one of each.

The LA Mayor's Race

This one is just as wild. The race for Los Angeles mayor has generated nationwide interest following criticism received by incumbent Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of the Palisades Fire in January 2025. Bass is running for re-election, and CBS News projected on Tuesday that Bass will advance to the November election.

But who she'll face in the runoff is still being sorted out. The race for second place pits two very different challengers against each other. Spencer Pratt — yes, that Spencer Pratt from reality TV — launched his campaign after losing his home in the Palisades blaze. He cast Bass as an icon of failed Democratic leadership on issues like crime, homelessness and drug use. His rival for second is city councilwoman Nithya Raman, a democratic socialist who campaigned as a more progressive alternative.

Bass has about 35% of the vote to 30% for Pratt and 22% for Raman so far, with 63% of the expected vote tallied. Pratt is currently in second, but Raman is gaining. Pratt landed in second place behind Bass in the first reports, but later updates found him losing ground to Raman — and the expected Democratic shift from ballots counted after Election Day means the second spot remains too early to call.

Why It Matters to You

If you live in California, the governor's race will shape everything from housing and healthcare to state taxes over the next four years. If you're in LA, whoever ends up in the mayor's office will be managing the city's recovery from the worst wildfire disaster in its modern history — and deciding how the city spends its money on homelessness, crime, and infrastructure. These aren't abstract policy debates; they're decisions that will hit your neighborhood, your wallet, and your daily life.

Final, official results may take days or weeks to solidify, as mail-in ballots arriving up to seven days post-election continue to be processed and counted. So don't expect a clean finish line just yet — check back over the coming days for updates.