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The latest twist in the Los Angeles mayoral runoff should make any Spencer Pratt voter pause before casting a spite ballot. Councilmember Nithya Raman just picked up a high-profile endorsement from the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and she’s tried to sell herself as “both a capitalist and a democratic socialist.” That combination is not a soothing lullaby for undecided voters — it’s a flashing warning light for anyone who wanted real change without radical experiments at City Hall.
What the DSA‑LA endorsement means
The DSA‑LA vote was real and organized: thousands of members weighed in and the chapter decided to back Raman. That matters because endorsements like this bring volunteers, door-knockers and a whole field operation that can move votes in close races. Raman’s own line — that “democratic socialism is a big tent” and she’s “a capitalist and a democratic socialist” — is meant to reassure centrists. But it’s also a blank check for activists who want deeper, faster change than most voters expect.
Why Spencer Pratt voters should care
Lots of Pratt supporters were furious in June and wanted to send City Hall a message. That anger is understandable. But using a protest ballot to boost a candidate with socialist backing is risky and naive. DSA and allied labor groups aren’t just endorsing Raman for the photo op. They’re organizing voters and can push a policy agenda that includes bigger mandates on developers, hostile business policies, and more top-down control in housing and labor. Remember the carpenters’ union flipping from Mayor Karen Bass to Raman after Bass refused a costly union wage rule — that tells you whose hand is on Raman’s shoulder.
Bass vs. Raman: a practical choice for the city
Mayor Karen Bass has a record voters can measure. She fast-tracked thousands of housing units and refused to load projects with a union mandate that could raise costs. That’s not glamorous, but it’s practical. Financial filings show both campaigns and outside groups are spending heavily. Polls show a lot of undecided voters. In a tight runoff, the last-minute organizing muscle of DSA‑LA and sympathetic unions can decide the outcome. If your goal was to punish City Hall, fine. If your goal was to stop a dramatic leftward turn, then spineless protest voting hands the keys to activists.
Bottom line: don’t hand L.A. to socialists out of spite
Spencer Pratt voters have leverage in this runoff. Use it wisely. The DSA‑LA endorsement and Raman’s own rhetoric change the narrative and raise real questions about what her mayoralty would look like. If you believe Los Angeles needs sensible fixes, safer streets, and housing that actually gets built without a giant price increase, don’t cast a protest ballot that helps move the city toward experiments you didn’t sign up for. This isn’t theory — it’s political math and organized ground game. Don’t be the spoiler who hands City Hall to activists because you wanted to make a point.
