Los Angeles voters watched wildfires destroy thousands of homes and mourn entertainment industry job losses while confronting homelessness. Spencer Pratt, known from reality television, has used Hollywood connections, social media skills, and a confrontational style to reshape the mayoral race into a national story. He has outpaced rivals in fundraising, performed strongly in debates, and ranks near the top of voter surveys. Pratt is a harsh critic of City Hall and has promised aggressive action toward clearing unhoused people. He has received major donations from prominent Democratic and music industry figures, while also gaining praise from media aligned with President Trump. He downplays party affiliation because the mayoral race is nonpartisan.
"Los Angeles voters watched as wildfire destroyed thousands of homes. They mourned the loss of entertainment industry jobs and despaired over homeless people living in squalor. Now, a former reality television villain who lost his home in the Palisades fire is using his Hollywood savvy, social media skills and his innate rage to harness those emotions, emerging as an unexpected and polarizing contender in the mayor's race."
"Spencer Pratt of MTV's reality soap "The Hills" has turned a sleepy citywide contest into a national story, outpacing his rivals in fundraising, putting in an assured debate performance and ranking near the top of voter surveys. L.A. has never seen a mayoral candidate quite like Pratt, a scathing critic of City Hall who has depicted its streets as a dystopian hellscape menaced by drug-addicted zombies. He has vowed a scorched-earth policy for those who might block his vision for clearing away the unhoused."
"Pratt has picked up campaign donations from Democratic Party megadonor Haim Saban and Universal Music Group Chairman and Chief Executive Lucian Grainge, one of the most powerful men in the music business. A registered Republican, he has won praise from media figures aligned with President Trump, including podcaster Joe Rogan and Fox News host Greg Gutfeld. Trump himself offered words of support on Wednesday, saying: "I heard he's a big MAGA person.""
"Pratt has downplayed his party affiliation, pointing out that the mayor's race is nonpartisan. He repeatedly declined to comment for this story, including when approached at a campaign event Wednesday. "He's an outsider candidate. He's a celebrity candidate. He's very clever, very strategic, and very skilled at social media," said Republican strategist Kevin Spillane. "There aren't many candidates that I've seen that are that skilled in a long time.""
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