{"id":1170,"date":"2026-05-16T11:47:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T11:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2026-05-16T11:47:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T11:47:23","slug":"from-reality-tv-villain-to-mayor-spencer-pratt-tries-to-convince-los-angeles-he-should-lead-the-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1170","title":{"rendered":"From reality TV villain to mayor? Spencer Pratt tries to convince Los Angeles he should lead the city"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"809fc393-405f-49aa-bcd5-4115e9852fcd\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man in a suit in a TV studio\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/0e85e4d3a9d977ad34d6ce52a082391f5af60f40\/0_0_5477_3651\/master\/5477.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"309.9716998356765\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Spencer Pratt on Fox &amp; Friends on 28 January 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Roy Rochlin\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"809fc393-405f-49aa-bcd5-4115e9852fcd\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Spencer Pratt on Fox &amp; Friends on 28 January 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Roy Rochlin\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">From reality TV villain to mayor? Spencer Pratt tries to convince Los Angeles he should lead the city<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-b3fmmo\">\n<p>The Hills\u2019 antagonist has made the city\u2019s response to the 2025 wildfires the central tenet of his campaign<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/los-angeles\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Los Angeles<\/a> is no stranger to drama. But the rapid ascension of a former reality TV bad boy turned political candidate taking on an incumbent mayor is a plot twist that has broken through far beyond the hills of Hollywood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Spencer Pratt, best known for his role on the 2006 reality TV hit The Hills, is seeking to tap into the deep frustration of many Angelenos over a searing cost-of-living crisis and the slow pace of recovery following last year\u2019s deadly wildfires.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Recent polls have placed him second in the race, trailing the current mayor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/karen-bass\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Karen Bass<\/a>, but ahead of the progressive two-term city councilor Nithya Raman. He\u2019s received an endorsement from Joe Rogan and praise from Elon Musk and Fox News hosts all while his ads dominate TikTok and X feeds around the US.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But how is it that a reality TV villain turned entrepreneur, and former registered Republican, has become a viable candidate for the role of chief executive of the US\u2019s second-largest, and deep blue, city?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The nonpartisan race is not a typical Democrat-versus-Republican battle, but a referendum on the state of the city. And polling has found that the majority of residents feel it is headed in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Los Angeles faces major challenges, including an intractable homelessness crisis with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lahsa.org\/news?article=1051-lahsa-releases-finalized-2025-homeless-count-results-after-hud-review\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">nearly 44,000<\/a> unhoused people. It remains one of the most expensive cities in the US for renters and homebuyers, and is <a href=\"https:\/\/theangelenoproject.org\/the-hard-facts\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">short 270,000 affordable housing units<\/a>. Hollywood is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/dec\/26\/hollywood-production-film-tv-industry-struggles\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">struggling<\/a> and the Trump administration\u2019s deportation campaign has hit the region hard. All the while, Los Angeles is battling a budget shortfall and preparing for large-scale global events, including the World Cup this summer and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/2025\/sep\/29\/los-angeles-olympics-environment-cost\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">2028 Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"bf89b9e4-721d-4b0a-9a0e-6791ab4d2ee0\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man stands at the side of an Airstream trailer in a lot with the words \u2018Pratt for LA Mayor\u2019 superimposed.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/75bd9de5ec7f7c4f21e6edef056cf7e6c5df5ee4\/37_187_2806_1231\/master\/2806.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"195.22273699215964\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"bf89b9e4-721d-4b0a-9a0e-6791ab4d2ee0\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A YouTube video shows Spencer Pratt and his trailer in the burnt-out lot where his home once stood.<\/span> Photograph: Spencer Pratt via YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">While Bass has touted an effective homelessness strategy as among her achievements as mayor, including a <a href=\"https:\/\/mayor.lacity.gov\/news\/mayor-bass-issues-statement-regarding-las-first-decrease-homeless-mortality-decade\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">17.5% reduction<\/a> in people living on the streets, many Angelenos remain frustrated at the staggering scale of the crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe city has been living through this fiasco of homelessness now for many years without any strong results,\u201d said Sara Sadhwani, a political science professor at Pomona College. \u201cWe know that the data says that things are getting a little better, but people don\u2019t feel it when they walk around the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And, she added, that\u2019s \u201ccompounded by the affordability crisis that is just crushing across the nation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt\u2019s candidacy is also representative of a second element of unhappiness with Bass\u2019s leadership. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/ng-interactive\/2025\/jan\/18\/la-fires-started-conditions-drought\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">January 2025<\/a> wildfires, which killed at least 19 people in Altadena and 12 in the Pacific Palisades, traumatized the city, and Bass has been heavily criticized for the preparations, and the pace of recovery. More than 4,000 homes were destroyed in the Palisades, and just 10 have been rebuilt, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/04\/13\/california-leaders-los-angeles-fire-recovery-delays-00867498\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Politico analysis<\/a>. Pratt, who grew up in the Palisades, lost his home in the fire. He\u2019s filmed ads in front of an Airstream trailer on his burnt-out lot.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"0609c33d-ad9a-41e2-9d1d-eeee3a46a545\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A homeless encampment in a vacant lot with apartment buildings in the background.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/08bde03debd8726d0190ae2a62754a0168b81d06\/0_0_3000_2001\/master\/3000.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.815\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"0609c33d-ad9a-41e2-9d1d-eeee3a46a545\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A homeless encampment in a closed-off lot in Los Angles\u2019s Koreatown on 12 September 2025. <\/span> Photograph: Carlin Stiehl\/Los Angeles Times\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Political analysts say it\u2019s unlikely the race will be decided next month and instead the top two candidates will advance to a runoff in November. Now the city waits to see how the growing dissatisfaction and anti-establishment sentiment will translate into the election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt\u2019s a wide-open race for who\u2019s going to be in the runoff. And then we\u2019ll see,\u201d said Zev Yaroslavsky, the director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/los-angeles\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Los Angeles<\/a> initiative at UCLA Luskin\u2019s School of Public Affairs.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"dcr-z9ge1j\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">A<\/span>s he campaigns, Pratt is seeking to introduce himself to voters beyond what they might remember about him from reality television. Earlier this year, he published a memoir, The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain. It\u2019s far from the standard fare typically authored by politicians ahead of an election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The book described his idyllic childhood in the affluent community of the Palisades, where he grew up among the children of the famous and wealthy and school pickups looked like a \u201cred-carpet event\u201d. The child of a dentist and a homemaker, he studied political science at the University of Southern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/california\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">California<\/a> and created and produced a short-lived reality TV show before joining The Hills as the fiery and despised boyfriend of Heidi Montag (now Pratt).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"8e86490b-4b4b-4fe5-8d62-4d7d7dc14683\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-4\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A woman and man with two young boys stand in the seating area of a stadium\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e948f86b1d50c6402fc788a26400e1aaedd88a70\/0_0_5000_3396\/master\/5000.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"302.244\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-4\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"8e86490b-4b4b-4fe5-8d62-4d7d7dc14683\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Spencer and Heidi Pratt with their sons Gunner and Ryker at SoFi Stadium on 11 April 2026 in Inglewood, California.<\/span> Photograph: Charley Gallay\/Getty Images for Feld Entertainment Inc<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The couple came to take center stage in some of the most dramatic, and iconic, storylines on the show. Over the years, Pratt has said repeatedly that he was playing a role largely directed by production, and that he was genuinely surprised when people believed he was the bad guy they saw on screen. In his memoir, he wrote that he was often lured into doing things he wasn\u2019t comfortable with by promises of larger payoffs and luxe housing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The couple became proto-influencers and tabloid fixtures, with photos of their wedding and Montag\u2019s extensive plastic surgery dominating covers for years in deals that paid handsomely. They spent vast sums on designer goods, he wrote. The book also includes an anecdote about how as a college student he once sold photos he had taken from a friend who dated Mary-Kate Olsen to support a film he was making.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As they became more famous, the couple came to occupy a place of derision in popular culture. An NBC executive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/id\/wbna31111671\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">maligned<\/a> them as \u201ceverything that\u2019s wrong with America\u201d. In the waning months of the Obama era, the publication <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salon.com\/2015\/11\/27\/who_said_it_donald_trump_or_spencer_pratt_if_you_want_to_throw_missiles_im_throwing_a_nuke_this_is_how_i_operate\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Salon<\/a> asked its readers to identify who had said a handful of outrageous quotes, including \u201cIf you want to throw missiles, I\u2019m throwing a nuke. This is how I operate\u201d \u2013 Donald Trump or Spencer Pratt?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe two outrageous reality TV stars have more in common than spray tans \u2013 but at least Pratt isn\u2019t running for office,\u201d reads the article from November 2015.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"dcr-z9ge1j\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">I<\/span>n recent years, the couple had enjoyed a sort of redemption arc. They documented their family life on social media, and Pratt came across as a self-deprecating dad who loved his wife and hummingbirds (his adoration and frequent posts of the animal prompted an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/magazine\/inside-reality-star-spencer-pratts-hummingbird-empire\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Audubon Magazine profile<\/a>). He routinely shared his love for Erewhon burritos online, gaining enough attention that the upscale grocery store named one after him. Meanwhile, Pratt also ran a crystal business as the family raised their children in the community he\u2019d grown up in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And then came the fires. In January 2025, deadly blazes tore through the hillside neighborhoods of Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, destroying 13,000 homes in the worst fires the region had ever experienced.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt shared moving videos of the remnants of his home in the Palisades and his son\u2019s burned bed, and described the pain of being displaced. His experience as a fire victim captured the public\u2019s attention \u2013 his wife\u2019s 2010 album reached No 1 on iTunes after he encouraged followers who wanted to offer support to the family to download her music.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"28bbdd57-f7a1-429d-a80d-c2bcfcc674bd\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-5\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Signs on a fence next to a burnt-down house.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8b5eacf55186de8349a8597e0c1f3286703c4ed7\/0_0_7118_5038\/master\/7118.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"314.96347288564203\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-5\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"28bbdd57-f7a1-429d-a80d-c2bcfcc674bd\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Campaign signs on a fence in front of Pratt\u2019s  Pacific Palisades property on 15 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Amy Katz\/Zuma Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the weeks after the fire, he began to post more critically, sharing frustrations from neighbors about the reopening of the community, issues with insurance coverage and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/system\/files\/documents\/2025-02\/epa-factsheet-la-wildfires-pallisades-fire-staging-areas.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">EPA\u2019s decision<\/a> to use a parking lot at a state beach to process hazardous materials. The move drew <a href=\"https:\/\/abc7.com\/post\/protest-planned-palisades-fire-debris-site-will-rogers-state-beach-parking-lot\/15885051\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">protests<\/a> at the time, although the agency said it was taking protective measures and that the site was \u201chighly controlled\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Pratts and other homeowners <a href=\"https:\/\/s3.documentcloud.org\/documents\/25503126\/inverse-condemnation-pratt.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">sued the city<\/a>, accusing the Los Angeles department of water and power (LADWP) of not maintaining the water supply necessary to fight the fire and arguing it was an \u201cinescapable and unavoidable consequence of egregious failure of the water supply system servicing areas in and around Pacific Palisades\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In response to an inquiry from the Guardian, the LADWP pointed at earlier statements about its water system and the pending litigation in which the agency said its water system \u201cmet and continues to meet all fire codes\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWhile our crews and system were prepared for situations that might strain the system, no urban water system is designed to combat a massive, wind-driven wildfire of the speed and scale presented by the historically destructive Palisades fire, particularly in conditions that preclude aerial firefighting support,\u201d the agency said in an <a href=\"https:\/\/ladwpnews.com\/ladwp-statement-regarding-palisades-fire-related-litigation\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">April 2025<\/a> statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt ultimately became one of the loudest and most visible critics of the local government\u2019s handling of the disaster. He criticized the city and state\u2019s approach to the rebuild, brought attention to what he argued were misspent relief funds, and denounced legislation in Sacramento. Mayor Bass, Gavin Newsom\u2019s office and other Democrats argued that Pratt amplified misinformation about the Palisades fire and proposed bills on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Last summer, Pratt went to <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2025\/tv\/news\/spencer-pratt-la-fires-washington-dc-gavin-newsom-1236481427\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Washington<\/a> to meet with federal officials to discuss the fire and to support a congressional investigation into the matter. In January, on the first anniversary of the blaze that destroyed the Palisades, he announced his campaign for mayor, arguing the city was broken and he would \u201cexpose the system\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt\u2019s campaign did not respond to a request for an interview.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"dcr-z9ge1j\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">I<\/span>n addition to greater disaster preparation, Pratt has said he would enforce laws to ensure sidewalks and parks are clear of encampments, and institute a \u201ctreatment first\u201d model to address homelessness. Los Angeles and California as a whole have adopted the housing-first approach, a proven method for reducing homelessness that posits people on the street first need safe housing, not conditioned on treatment or employment requirements, in order to stabilize.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt can come across as Trumpian, with derisive nicknames for opponents, criticism of journalists and references to \u201cdrug zombies\u201d. His ads have traveled far and wide, capturing social media users across both coasts. One <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=S8yWP0C3TfE\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">starkly compares<\/a> the homes of Bass and Raman with a street lined with tents, and finally a trailer on his own burnt-out empty lot as Pratt says, \u201cThis is where I live.\u201d The trailer has been subject to a wave of news coverage after TMZ reported that Pratt was not living on the property, but at the Hotel Bel-Air. Pratt was unmoved by the report, arguing that he moved to the hotel after receiving death threats.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"c9eff6bd-3499-478f-b83e-38d5343a6bff\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-6\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An RV in a vacant lot.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e6afccda0bddabc9b8822868f2b72225958ad948\/0_0_6644_5200\/master\/6644.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"348.2841661649609\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-6\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"c9eff6bd-3499-478f-b83e-38d5343a6bff\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Spencer Pratt\u2019s Airstream trailer on his burnt-out property on 15 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Amy Katz\/Zuma Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He also told the outlet: \u201cI don\u2019t have a house. They burned it down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Another ad, made by an independent film-maker with AI but shared by the candidate, depicts Pratt as Batman on his way to save the city while showing Bass, Raman and Newsom as laughing elites in a royal court as guards identified as \u201cDSA\u201d rough up concerned citizens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pratt\u2019s campaign has resonated with fire survivors like Nina Madok. \u201cSpencer Pratt lost his house just like I did,\u201d she said. \u201cHe has that empathy and has the boots on the ground so he can see exactly what happened in the Palisades and what needs to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Madok, who is on the advisory board of the Palisades Recovery Coalition, said that the organization would like the rebuilding process to move thoughtfully but more quickly and wants to see whoever is in office prioritize that.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"17f788c5-362e-434d-9fb3-e4030120eba1\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-7\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man dresses up like a superhero in a hellish, apocalyptic cityscape. \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cb4bce61ff25c7781b21c4fbfcad4ba7eab0322d\/0_0_2866_1574\/master\/2866.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"244.39288206559664\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-7\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"17f788c5-362e-434d-9fb3-e4030120eba1\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A still from a video made by a filmmaker with AI, and shared by Pratt, that depicts the candidate as Batman.<\/span> Photograph: Charles Curran via X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">While she is a Republican, Madok said she knows many Democrats who supported Kamala Harris and plan to vote for Pratt. He has kept the attention of his followers on the Palisades and appealed to the federal government and people appreciate that, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Still, critics argue that Pratt lacks the experience and understanding necessary to run a city as large and as complex as Los Angeles with its powerful city council and multitude of local agencies. Bass told CNN her opponent does not have the \u201cbackground or knowledge\u201d of how the government works.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In response to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-83WHHCKZDY\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">debate question<\/a> about how his experience qualifies him to oversee the city and its nearly $15bn budget, Pratt said he has common sense and humility and would surround himself with the \u201csmartest people\u201d to manage city finances.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"dcr-z9ge1j\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">P<\/span>ratt\u2019s performance at a mayoral debate in early May appears to have bolstered his chances. A <a href=\"https:\/\/luskin.ucla.edu\/volatility-ahead-in-la-mayors-race-ucla-luskin-poll-finds-40-of-voters-undecided\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">poll from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs<\/a> published in early April had put Pratt second, with 25% of respondents backing the mayor, 11% supporting Pratt and 9% in favor of Raman (although that poll also noted about 40% of voters were undecided). Other candidates, including the tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and housing advocate and DSA member Rae Huang, have polled far lower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">An <a href=\"https:\/\/emersoncollegepolling.com\/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Emerson poll<\/a> conducted after the debate found that 30% of participants backed Bass, 22% supported Pratt and 19% went to Raman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">During the forum, Pratt came across as a seasoned politician channeling the frustrations of many residents rather than a raw social media persona, Yaroslavsky said. Bass also held her own, he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cHe didn\u2019t come across as an extremist Maga Republican. He came across as a guy whose home was burned down in the Palisades and [who] is frustrated with the recovery and with all the other things that people have complaints about,\u201d Yaroslavsky said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"5a39df5d-6d19-463c-aac2-08bd24e5ad99\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-8\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People work in front of a TV showing Spencer Pratt.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/54be5027a5fd62bd075923cbce450930cb02a5a6\/0_0_2556_1704\/master\/2556.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.66666666666663\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-8\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"5a39df5d-6d19-463c-aac2-08bd24e5ad99\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Spencer Pratt appears on television while journalists work during the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral debate on 6 May.<\/span> Photograph: Jason Armond\/Los Angeles Times\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And for his part, Pratt has said he is not a Maga Republican. He changed his party preference to independent, he recently told NBC LA, and said: \u201cI don\u2019t do national politics. I don\u2019t do tribal politics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">That\u2019s important, Sadhwani said, because if he comes across as a Maga hardliner, his chances are slim. Yaroslavsky echoed the sentiment, arguing the most unpopular person in Los Angeles right now is Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Bass and other LA leaders had faced intense criticism for the city\u2019s response and handling of the fire in the Palisades. People were particularly upset with the mayor, who was out of the country when the fires broke out. The scrutiny has continued \u2013 late last year the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2025-12-20\/lafd-report-on-palisades-fire-was-watered-down-in-editing-process-records-show\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Los Angeles Times revealed<\/a> that a controversial after-action report evaluating the department\u2019s response to the wildfires was edited to understate the shortcomings of agency leadership and the city.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But while her approval ratings fell after the fire, the political tides turned when Trump sent immigration agents to Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Bass forcefully pushed back against the raids, celebrated the role of immigrants in the city and confronted agents at a city park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cTrump sent her a life preserver, a political lifeline,\u201d Yaroslavsky said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And she has made headway as mayor, he said, confronting the homeless issue \u201chead on\u201d and achieve reductions. \u201cMost people don\u2019t believe it, but it\u2019s true,\u201d Yaroslavsky said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">For her to be polling at 25% so close to the election was not a good sign, he added, but Bass is resilient and tougher than people give her credit for.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI wouldn\u2019t write her political obituary anytime soon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In 2017, Pratt, who was then enjoying the first wave of his redemption arc, told the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/persons-of-interest\/the-reality-tv-and-snapchat-star-spencer-pratt-on-americas-addiction-to-drama\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">New Yorker<\/a> that Trump\u2019s campaign had left him thinking, \u201cOh, shit, I can be President now. Do I want to be in the White House one day?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Nearly a decade later, Pratt might be headed to city hall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/los-angeles\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Los Angeles<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/california-wildfires\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">California wildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/society\/homelessness\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Homelessness<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/society\/housing\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Housing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/karen-bass\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Karen Bass<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/california\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">California<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=From%20reality%20TV%20villain%20to%20mayor?%20Spencer%20Pratt%20tries%20to%20convince%20Los%20Angeles%20he%20should%20lead%20the%20city&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/16\/spencer-pratt-los-angeles-mayor?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F16%2Fspencer-pratt-los-angeles-mayor&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/16\/spencer-pratt-los-angeles-mayor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spencer Pratt on Fox &amp; Friends on 28 January 2026. Photograph: Roy Rochlin\/Getty Images View image in fullscreen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1170"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1172,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1170\/revisions\/1172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}