Republican officials have raised questions about the Los Angeles mayoral primary election results, where GOP candidate Spencer Pratt's initial lead diminished as vote counting continued after Election Day on June 2.

Vice President Vance commented on the results Monday, calling the outcome "pretty shady," noting that two Democrats are now positioned to advance to the November general election. The primary featured Karen Bass in first place, with progressive Democratic candidate Nithya Raman appearing to secure second place after late-counted ballots shifted the standings.

Pratt initially held what appeared to be a solid second-place position and an eight-point lead over Raman when in-person polls closed. However, his advantage eroded as mail-in and provisional ballots were processed in the days following the election. As of current tallies, Pratt is running third with approximately 27 percent of the vote.

Republican lawmakers have criticized the vote-counting process, though GOP leaders have not echoed broader claims about election integrity that have been prominent in other recent elections. The concerns appear focused specifically on the extended timeline for processing mail-in ballots in California elections.

The Los Angeles mayoral race is officially nonpartisan, though candidates' party affiliations are widely known. A Republican finishing out of the top two would not be unprecedented in Los Angeles, where Democratic candidates typically dominate citywide races. Pratt's current vote share would represent a relatively strong showing for a Republican candidate in the heavily Democratic city.

California's election system allows for extensive mail-in voting and provides additional time for processing ballots that arrive after Election Day, which can lead to significant changes in results as counting continues over several days or weeks.