Raman outpaces Pratt in LA mayor contest; California governor's race unsettled
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman surged past Spencer Pratt on Sunday in the race for LA mayor. The California governor's race remains undecided.

As California continues to count ballots, Republicans spread conspiracy theories that something shady is unfolding in the state. California's large population has about 80 percent of its voters who vote by mail, and the state counts all ballots that were postmarked on or before election day. They give one week for the ballots to arrive. Republicans think that because Spencer Pratt was initially in the lead and has now fallen to third place, something is afoot. Pratt was a boyfriend of a former reality TV star. In reality, only about 12 percent of voters identify as registered Republicans, the County Registrar said in a report. So, Pratt's numbers are impressive and show that he managed to encourage not only GOP voters but also other groups. Nithya Raman has pulled ahead of Pratt, however, which isn't what Mayor Karen Bass wants to see.CNN data analyst Harry Enten explained that Bass likely wanted Pratt to do well because she trounces him in the general election. Still, Republicans insist that Democrats are stealing votes from Pratt. "This is the dumbest conspiracy theory I've ever heard!" Enten exclaimed. The last person Bass wants to run against is another Democrat.""The democratic establishment and Karen Bass wanted Spencer Pratt in the runoff. They don't want any part of Nithya Raman. Why is that? Because — just take a look here. Okay, mayor. Mayor, runoff polls, Bass versus opponent versus Pratt," he explained. "Bass would have crushed Pratt by 18 points. That's what the polling showed. Look at how she does against Nithya Raman. On the other hand, Raman is ahead by four points. Bass has a real race on her hands, if, in fact, Ramen is the one who advances. And of course, the Democratic establishment is backing Karen Bass, but versus Spencer Pratt, she was crushing him. She wanted to face Pratt.""And that's why these conspiracy theories. Simply put, make no sense, people," he added. Bass' favorability numbers are also considerably lower than Raman's. Enten and co-host John Berman discussed President Donald Trump's hope for Pratt, which Enten called unsurprising. But Trump has dragged Pratt down. "Los Angeles City voters, Trump's net approval rating in the city of Los Angeles is about 55 points underwater," Enten said. "It's so difficult — 55 points underwater and then registered as a Republican."It was already a tough climb for Pratt, but Enten explained that there's simply no chance for a Republican. "The only way [Bass] could lose is if she goes up against another Democrat. And you see it right here, very simply put up by four, no wonder. And that is where the results right now are moving a Ramen versus Bass general election, which I said at the top, an absolute nightmare for the Democratic establishment. And Karen Bass, they would have much preferred Spencer," he closed. - YouTube www.youtube.com
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman surged past Spencer Pratt on Sunday in the race for LA mayor. The California governor's race remains undecided.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) openly defied President Donald Trump Sunday night in calling for Israel to launch strikes toward Iran, a remark that flew in the face of the president’s foreign policy agenda — and, according to a GOP congressional candidate, may have violated federal law.Iran launched strikes against Israel Sunday in response to that nation's bombing of Lebanon’s largest city, strikes that Trump urged Israeli leadership not to respond to. Despite Trump’s plea, Israel's missiles flew later that night, the news of which excited Fine, who proceeded to encourage Israel to continue.“Israel has every right to respond to rockets being fired at its civilians exactly as we would,” Fine wrote Sunday night in a social media post on X. “Bombs away.”Fine’s comments, however, at least according to Aaron Baker, who’s running to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District as a Republican, may have violated the Logan Act, which prohibits Americans from holding unauthorized communications with foreign governments in some instances, particularly with intent to “influence measures or conduct of any foreign government.”“Now you are telling [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu ‘bombs away?’ President Trump told Bibi NO,” Baker wrote in a social media post on X. “Now you have violated The Logan Act, Rep. Fine, and shall be fined or imprisoned under 18 USC 953. So much for trying to pretend you’re loyal to the United States.”Fine has long been a fierce defender and supporter of Israel, though he has frequently drawn scrutiny for his controversial remarks, which critics, even some prominent conservatives, have described as “unspeakably racist” or “genocidal."Examples include Fine telling Gazans to ‘starve away’ last year. In 2021 when, in response to a social media user who shared a photo of what appears to be a Gazan infant buried in rubble with the question “how do you sleep at night,” Fine responded “quite well, actually,” and “thanks for the pic!”Now you are telling @netanyahu “bombs away?”President Trump told Bibi NO. Now you have violated The Logan Act @RepFine and shall be fined or imprisoned under 18 USC 953.So much for trying to pretend you’re loyal to the United States. https://t.co/JhIBak5Qsq— Aaron Baker for Congress (FL-6) (@Aaron4fl6) June 8, 2026
If the federal government is handed confidential data about children’s legal defense, their cases could be undermined.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) claimed on Monday that people in California were dumpster diving for ballots after Republicans saw a serious setback in the Los Angeles mayor race and votes continued six days after the primary.The MAGA lawmaker made the unfounded fraud remarks during a Newsmax interview, commenting on the ongoing ballot count in California and responding to the GOP's frustration as former reality TV star and GOP candidate Los Angeles mayor candidate Spencer Pratt slipped out of the runoff race, placing third behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman."Some people can just dig through garbage cans, find ballots and send them in apparently forever after an election is over. It's not OK, it's got to come to an end and people need to go jail," Fine said. But the internet was quick to call Fine out for his baseless allegations."This is a new one, an extension of classic 'ballots in a dumpster' rumors, suggesting that fraudsters are dumpster diving for ballots and then using them to vote. It [is] absurd and ignores any number of structural reasons that wouldn’t work as well as a complete lack of evidence of that happening," online rumors expert Kate Starbird, professor at the University of Washington, HCDE and co-founder of the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public, wrote on Bluesky."Randy Fine claims people are literally dumpster diving for fraudulent ballots in California. Cool story, bro," journalist Aaron Rupar, who has more than 1.1 million followers, wrote on X."Randy Fine is 2,000 miles away and a camera w----," neuroscientist and technologist Dr. Joseph Santoro, who has more than 18,000 followers and helped lead the White House and Organizing for Action during the Obama administration, wrote on X.Governor Newsom Press Office, an official account for California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom with more than 704,000 followers on X, shared a circle graph teasing "no" and "no, but in yellow."Randy Fine claims people are literally dumpster diving for fraudulent ballots in California 😆cool story, bro pic.twitter.com/TLU3mgjIgn— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 8, 2026
I was addicted to Trump’s elixir of rage and fear for years. It’s finally losing its power over others
Much of the criticism of President Donald Trump on the right is coming from Never Trump conservatives and libertarians, many of whom were scathing opponents of the MAGA movement from the get-go. Attorney George Conway, The Washington Post's George Will, MS NOW's Joe Scarbrough and The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson were so anti-Trump that they left the Republican Party altogether. But Rich Logis' opposition to Trump is coming from a much different place. In Salon, the founder of Leaving MAGA details his journey from hardcore Trump supporter to Trump opponent — and his ongoing efforts to help others who have become disillusioned with the president and the MAGA movement."From 2015 until 2022," Logis explains in Salon, "I was a hardcore MAGA activist and pundit. I spoke at pro-Trump events. I wrote numerous op-eds, and even hosted a podcast dedicated to promoting all things Trump. I loved that he wanted to burn down the established political order. I felt that neither major political party cared for the working person. When Trump ran the first time and was elected against what seemed like impossible odds, it was exhilarating and new. It was also a communal experience. MAGA became my second family."The Leaving MAGA founder argues that Trump opponents shouldn't dismiss his supporters as a lost cause, but he emphasizes that quitting MAGA is a real struggle for those who have been true believers and are now questioning the movement."When I tell people I founded an organization that helps people leave Donald Trump‘s MAGA movement," Logis notes, "the response is often a derisive snort. 'Why waste your time on them?' people sometimes say. 'They're a lost cause. It's a cult.' I firmly believe that kind of dismissive contempt is misguided. In fact, I know it, on a profound personal level…. Recognizing that MAGA provides a strong sense of community is key to understanding its appeal."Logis continues, "Another integral element of MAGA's power is the pro-Trump media echo chamber. For several years, I got my information almost exclusively from Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Breitbart. Everything outside the echo chamber, to my community, was Democratic Party propaganda…. It's hard to overstate the formidable power of believing the MAGA media's daily lies and distortions. I was addicted to rage and fear. Even though Trump had been elected president, I lived in a perpetual state of despair, desperation and paranoia."Logis cites anti-vaxxer propaganda during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas as two of the things that led to the creation of Leaving MAGA in 2022. And he is seeing others going through the same struggles he went through. "On the eve of America's 250th birthday, our democracy is in crisis," Logis warns. "I firmly believe the key to resolving it lies partly in forming unlikely but necessary alliances. Those who leave MAGA are worthy of our grace, and can become stewards of our democracy. We cannot afford to shun them."
President Donald Trump will virtually campaign on Monday night for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as the four-term senator looks to avoid a primary runoff in a crowded GOP field. South Carolina voters will take to the polls on Tuesday to cast their primary ballots in the state’s local, House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. Graham, who […]
After President Donald Trump told a “bunch of lies” on “Meet the Press” — abruptly cutting off the interview and walking out — CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale zeroed in on one of the most consequential: Trump’s claim that he never promised any wars in his second term.“First of all, I didn’t guarantee no war,” Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker. “So when you say I promised – I didn’t promise anything. I don’t like these endless wars. This is not an endless war.” On Monday, Dale served up half a dozen examples from the 2024 campaign when Trump said there would be no wars, and several times when he hedged but also declared there would be no wars. “Trump repeatedly promised in 2024 that the US would not have any wars during his second presidency,” Dale reported. “Though it’s true that he often deployed some nuance on the subject – for example, vowing to end ‘endless’ wars or prevent ‘World War III’ – he unequivocally pledged on other occasions that the US wouldn’t get involved in wars, period.”In June 2024, as Dale noted, candidate Trump wrote on Truth Social, “As every American saw firsthand, this election is a choice between strength or weakness, competence or incompetence, peace and prosperity or war and no war.” The following month at the Republican National Convention, Trump declared, “With our victory in November, the years of war, weakness, and chaos will be over. I don’t have wars.”“Under Trump, we will have no more wars, no more disruptions, and we will have prosperity and peace for all,” he said in August 2024.That same month, Trump “approvingly” cited then-Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Dale wrote, who Trump claimed to have said: “Make sure that Trump gets re-elected president and you’re not going to have any more wars.” Trump himself “reiterated” moments later, “No more wars. No more disruptions. We will have prosperity and we will have peace.”In October, Trump revisited those remarks: “Viktor Orbán said, ‘If Trump comes back, you won’t have any wars. You won’t have any wars.’ And he’s about as tough as they get, and he said it loud and clear and he said why. But you won’t have any wars.”Dale continued, pointing to Trump’s “clear promise” in his November 2024 victory address.“Four years, we had no wars, except we defeated ISIS,” Trump said. “They said, ‘He will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop wars.” Dale concluded that people “can have a reasonable debate about whether these kinds of comments were likely to be interpreted by some voters as a promise not to get the country involved in wars in a second term,” but, as for Trump’s “I didn’t promise anything” claim, “the record shows that Trump explicitly made a no-future-wars promise multiple times.”