Trump Warns of ‘Great Trouble’ as California Vote Count Shifts Los Angeles Mayoral Race

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump is warning that “great trouble and consternation will follow” if Democrats prevail in what he described as a “crooked” and “rigged” California election, after late-counted ballots shifted the closely watched Los Angeles mayoral primary and pushed conservative candidate Spencer Pratt into third place.

“Has anybody been watching the CROOKED Election going on in California,” Trump wrote late Sunday night on Truth Social. “Two great Republican Candidates are being cheated, and so is America, which if the Dumocrats are able to fulfill their mission, great trouble and consternation will follow. Watch this ‘Election’ closely!!!”

Trump renewed the charge Monday morning after sharing a post from Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., who criticized California’s election system as vote totals continued to change in the Los Angeles mayoral race.

“No way this could have happened. Rigged Election!” Trump wrote.

The controversy centers on Los Angeles’ nonpartisan mayoral primary, where incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass is leading the field with roughly 35 percent of the vote. Under California’s top-two primary system—often called a “jungle primary”—all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party, and the two highest vote-getters advance to the November runoff.

For several days after Election Day, Pratt, a conservative and former reality television star, held second place behind Bass. But as additional ballots were processed, Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman overtook him for the second runoff position.

According to projections cited by Decision Desk HQ, Raman is now positioned to advance to the November runoff against Bass. Just over 3,000 votes separate Raman and Pratt, while ballot counting continues.

The shift has intensified Republican criticism of California’s extended vote-counting process, with Trump and other conservatives arguing that late-counted ballots too often change election outcomes in favor of Democrats.

Hamadeh said California is “incapable of running free and fair elections” and called for federal oversight of the state’s election system.

California election officials say the slower count is normal under state law. Every registered voter in California receives a mail ballot, and ballots postmarked by Election Day may still be counted if they arrive at election offices within seven days. Officials also say signature verification and ballot processing rules can stretch the count for days or weeks after polls close.

The Associated Press reported that Democrats in California have tended to return ballots later in the voting period, a pattern analysts say may help explain why Bass and Raman gained ground as later ballots were counted.

Still, the optics have fueled a fresh national fight over election integrity, especially as Republicans continue to argue that prolonged counting undermines public confidence.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles announced Friday that it had opened multiple election-fraud investigations related to California elections and assigned a federal prosecutor to observe operations at the county vote-counting center. Officials did not immediately provide details about the investigations.

Democrats have rejected Trump’s claims, saying there is no evidence that the Los Angeles vote count is fraudulent and that the results reflect normal ballot processing under California law.

County officials must certify final election results by early July. Until then, thousands of ballots remain to be counted in a race that has become a national flashpoint over mail voting, election transparency, and the future of Los Angeles leadership.

California’s primary system differs from many states because candidates from all parties compete on one ballot. The top two finishers advance to the general election, even if they are from the same political party.

That structure means Los Angeles voters could face a November runoff between two Democrats—Bass and Raman—despite Pratt’s strong early showing among conservative and anti-establishment voters.

Republicans say the race is another example of why California’s mail-ballot system needs federal scrutiny. Democrats and election officials argue that the process is lawful, transparent, and designed to ensure every valid ballot is counted.

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