{"id":2606387,"date":"2026-05-24T07:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T11:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/spencer-pratts-viral-mayoral-run-gains-traction-in-los-angeles\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T07:24:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T11:24:52","slug":"spencer-pratts-viral-mayoral-run-gains-traction-in-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/spencer-pratts-viral-mayoral-run-gains-traction-in-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"Spencer Pratt\u2019s viral mayoral run gains traction in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fspencer-pratts-viral-mayoral-run-gains-traction-in-los-angeles%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2606387&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Spencer Pratt, best known as the antagonist on MTV\u2019s *The Hills*, has used the aftermath of last year\u2019s Palisades fire-when his Los Angeles home burned-too fuel a high-energy mayoral campaign in a bid to unseat Mayor Karen Bass and challenge other Democrats in city leadership. At 42, he has grown from a celebrity figure into a serious contender, drawing increasing attention from both supporters and major conservative influencers, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump, as viral posts and AI-generated videos depict him in dramatic, anti-establishment scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>Despite facing criticism that his rise is driven more by spectacle than policy, Pratt has gained momentum through an aggressive digital strategy and forceful debate performances, including his first televised debate where he attacked Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman. Backers argue he taps into public frustration about crime, homelessness, and public safety, while some analysts suggest his popularity might potentially be reaching a limit in a heavily Democratic city like Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously occurring, rivals and critics question Pratt\u2019s inexperience and the feasibility of some proposals-such as involuntary temporary psychiatric holds for homeless people-contending he has not addressed legal or logistical hurdles. Pratt has also drawn scrutiny about perceived authenticity after inconsistencies appeared online regarding where he was staying, and his political identity is complicated by campaign ties to Republican and MAGA-aligned networks, including spending with allied organizations and advisers linked to prominent GOP figures.<\/p>\n<p>As California\u2019s top-two primary system approaches (June 2), Pratt has moved significantly in the polls from low single digits, positioning himself closely behind bass and making the race one of the more unusual celebrity-to-politics campaigns in recent memory.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/spencer-pratt\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22652\">Spencer Pratt<\/a> rose to fame as the antagonist on MTV\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >reality television show<\/a>, <em>The Hills<\/em>, but has powered his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">Los Angeles mayoral campaign<\/a> with civic outrage after his house burned to the ground in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4559465\/palisades-fire-suspect-espoused-left-wing-ideology-prosecutors\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4559465\">Palisades fire<\/a> last year.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, critics are saying the political newcomer may be moving too far, too fast, with rivals exposing cracks in his proposals and inconsistencies in his statements. But his fan base and social media supporters keep growing, aided in part by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1412\">Elon Musk<\/a>\u2018s repeated reposts and replies on X.  <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4578581\/mike-duggan-michigan-governor-run\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mike Duggan ends independent run for Michigan governor<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4578014\/california-governor-race-candidate-barack-obama\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Barack Obama, the long-shot candidate running in California\u2019s 61-person governor\u2019s race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4577623\/tiffany-henyard-wins-fulton-county-republican-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018America\u2019s worst mayor\u2019 Tiffany Henyard wins Georgia primary after switching parties<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A registered Republican, Pratt, 42, has successfully channeled his anger and frustration into broadsides against current <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/karen-bass\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2491\">Mayor Karen Bass<\/a> (D), Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1426\">Gavin Newsom <\/a>(D-CA), and other Democrats who have managed the city for years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spencer Pratt speaks during an appearance on Fox &#038; Friends at Fox News headquarters, Jan. 28, 2026, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa\/Invision\/AP, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Popular AI-generated videos depicting Pratt battling Bass with lightsabers or portraying himself as Batman descending onto a burning Los Angeles have racked up millions of views online. His campaign has embraced an aggressive digital strategy, leaning heavily on viral clips and anti-establishment messaging to reach voters frustrated by crime, homelessness, and public safety concerns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pratt further raised his standing after the campaign\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4559287\/la-mayor-nithya-raman-breakthrough-spencer-pratt-attack\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4559287\/la-mayor-nithya-raman-breakthrough-spencer-pratt-attack\/\">first televised debate<\/a>, where he aggressively challenged Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who represents the city\u2019s 4th District.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSpencer Pratt is not a joke,\u201d Jeff Burton, a former senior National Republican Congressional Committee official and partner at Maven Advocacy, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cEvery nonpolitical person I know in LA knows who Pratt is and is planning to vote for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pratt launched his campaign in January on the anniversary of the Palisades fire, framing the race as a rebellion against city leadership.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis isn\u2019t a campaign \u2014 it\u2019s a mission,\u201d Pratt said at a neighborhood rally. \u201cWe\u2019re going to shine a light into every corner of this city, expose what\u2019s broken, and rebuild LA into something people can believe in again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fourteen candidates are on the ballot, though only five, including Pratt, are viewed as serious contenders ahead of the June 2 primary. Recent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/emersoncollegepolling.com\/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/emersoncollegepolling.com\/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot\/\">Emerson College polling<\/a> showed Bass leading the field, with Pratt and Raman competing closely for second place.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under California\u2019s top-two primary system, the two highest vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation if no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not long ago, Pratt\u2019s campaign was polling in the low single digits. Despite having no government experience, he has made progress by positioning himself as an outsider railing against what he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/spencer-pratt-sheds-joke-candidate-label-as-momentum-grows\/\" title=\"... sheds &#039;joke&#039; candidate ...bel as momentum grows\">calls \u201cfailed leadership<\/a>,\u201d while capitalizing on voter frustration with City Hall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPratt has certainly gained momentum, and what is surprising is to see Democrats caught so flat-footed 10 years after Trump\u2019s rise,\u201d media and culture expert Kaivan Shroff told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cWe see them whipping out the same tactics: focusing on his scandals and lack of qualifications while rattling off statistics about how things have actually gotten better in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shroff noted that Bass has recorded measurable progress on issues such as homelessness, violent crime, and Los Angeles Police Department recruitment, but argued that many voters still feel uneasy about the city\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPratt has tapped into that dynamic with his viral AI ads and social media posts,\u201d he added. \u201cHe is validating how folks feel despite the facts, and he is dominating the narrative. That said, he likely has a ceiling of support in a Democratic city like LA, and I\u2019d imagine he is close to hitting that ceiling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, critics insist Pratt\u2019s candidacy is fueled more by celebrity and online spectacle than substantive policy. Rivals have questioned whether he possesses the experience or depth needed to govern the nation\u2019s second-largest city, particularly on complex issues such as housing affordability, homelessness, and economic development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of Pratt\u2019s proposals, including involuntary temporary psychiatric holds for homeless individuals, would probably <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-to-announce-sweeping-gun-control-restrictions\/\" title=\"Biden to Announce Sweeping Gun-Control Restrictions\">face significant legal<\/a> and logistical hurdles that critics say he has not fully addressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pratt has largely brushed aside concerns about his lack of experience. In a CBS News interview this month, he suggested he could pursue a law degree online before the general election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBefore November, I can probably get one,\u201d Pratt said, adding that he planned to take California\u2019s \u201cbaby bar\u201d exam for nontraditional legal students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a high-profile tennis fundraiser and white party hosted at a Beverly Hills mansion last weekend, Pratt joked openly about his political ambitions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s pretty incredible you can become the mayor with only 51% of people liking you,\u201d he told attendees. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018I can do that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions about Pratt\u2019s authenticity have also emerged in recent days. In one social media video, Pratt filmed himself in front of an Airstream trailer parked on his burned property, implying he was living there. Days later, <em>TMZ <\/em>reported spotting him staying at a five-star hotel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although Pratt has publicly described himself as politically independent and has said he admires former President Barack Obama, his campaign infrastructure has strong ties to Republican and pro-Trump networks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> signaled support for Pratt this week, while Turning Point USA CEO <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/erika-kirk\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17739\">Erika Kirk<\/a> praised him on X for challenging \u201ca failing system\u201d and called him \u201cauthentically American.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cInstead of speaking like a career politician, he\u2019s speaking as an American who sees and deeply understands how fragile the simple things in life are when leadership fails,\u201d Kirk posted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Campaign finance disclosures filed with the Los Angeles Ethics Commission show Pratt\u2019s campaign has paid more than $60,000 to June Cutter, head of America First California, a MAGA-aligned advocacy organization founded by former Trump aides.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The campaign has also spent more than $25,000 on consulting work with TAG Strategies, a firm whose past clients have included the Republican Party of Arizona and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), according to OpenSecrets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another Pratt campaign aide, Alan Pellacani, currently serves as a senior adviser to Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/darrell-issa\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"176\">Darrell Issa<\/a> (R-CA). Calls seeking comment from Pellacani were not returned.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pratt\u2019s campaign headquarters is based out of a small tax services office in Imperial Beach, a San Diego County community near the U.S.-Mexico border, operated by the wife of former GOP Rep. Brian Bilbray. Pratt\u2019s treasurer is Bilbray\u2019s daughter, a former Republican Party delegate whose campaign email references an entity called \u201cBB Campaigns,\u201d about which little public information is available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Records reviewed on OpenSecrets show Bilbray has earned millions of dollars in lobbying fees since leaving Congress, including work related to Los Angeles County\u2019s efforts to influence federal policy and secure funding. Such arrangements are relatively common in California politics, where Democratic-led governments frequently retain former Republican lawmakers for their relationships with congressional committees, appropriators, and federal agencies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4577918\/spencer-pratt-says-his-role-model-is-jesus-christ\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4577918\">SPENCER PRATT SAYS HIS ROLE MODEL IS JESUS CHRIST <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steve Bannon, one of the chief architects of Trump\u2019s MAGA movement, called Pratt\u00a0\u201cthe most Trumpian candidate we\u2019ve ever seen in terms of house style.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrump\u2019s superpower was bringing in people into politics who hate politics, and that\u2019s what [Pratt\u2019s] doing online right now,\u201d he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/05\/21\/nx-s1-5827724\/spencer-pratt-los-angeles-mayor-ai-slop-manosphere\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/05\/21\/nx-s1-5827724\/spencer-pratt-los-angeles-mayor-ai-slop-manosphere\">told<\/a> <em>NPR<\/em>, adding that he would endorse Pratt but didn\u2019t \u201cwant to hurt his chances of winning in LA.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spencer Pratt rose to fame on MTV\u2019s *The Hills*, but now has headlines as an LA mayoral newcomer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2606388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/spencer-pratt-campaign-traction.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[36585,44588,5894,70393,80199],"class_list":["post-2606387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-los-angeles","tag-mayoral-race","tag-politics","tag-spencer-pratt","tag-viral-campaign"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/spencer-pratt-campaign-traction.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2606387"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606387\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2606391,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606387\/revisions\/2606391"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2606388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2606387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2606387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2606387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}