Los Angeles, CA – As the June 2 primary for mayor of Los Angeles draws near, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt has emerged as an unlikely contender, challenging incumbent Democrat Karen Bass with a populist message centered on the city's most pressing local woes. Pratt, 42, first gained fame in the late 2000s as a cast member on MTV's The Hills, but his campaign has pivoted sharply to issues like fire preparedness, rising crime, homeless encampments, and allegations of misspent public funds. Despite his status as a registered Republican in a city that leans overwhelmingly Democratic, Pratt qualified last week as one of three candidates for a televised debate, positioning himself as the fresh alternative to the status quo.
The debate, held in late May, highlighted deep frustrations with city governance. While Bass and her main rival, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, traded barbs over their records on homelessness and budget oversight, Pratt stuck to a disciplined script, avoiding national politics entirely. 'I don’t do national politics,' Pratt told a recent interviewer. 'I don’t do tribal politics. I don’t talk about other states. I’m localized.' His approach has resonated with voters tired of entrenched problems, propelling him from long-shot status to a notable presence in the race.
Pratt's personal story adds a layer of authenticity to his pitch. In January 2025, his $2.5 million home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood was destroyed in the devastating Palisades Fire, forcing him and his wife, singer Heidi Montag, to relocate to an Airstream trailer. He has since woven this experience into his campaign narrative, emphasizing failed leadership during crises. One of his ads, posted on X last week, features Pratt standing outside an upscale residence. 'This is where Mayor Bass lives. You notice something? Or here, where Nithya Raman’s $3 million mansion sits. They don’t have to live in the mess they’ve created, where you live,' he says, before cutting to scenes of homeless encampments, graffiti-covered streets, and fire damage. 'This is where I live,' he continues from in front of his trailer. 'They let my home burn down. I know what the consequences of failed leadership are.'
The timing of the fire ties directly to criticisms of Bass, who was abroad in Ghana at the time, attending events focused on international diplomacy. A viral pro-Pratt campaign ad, titled “Spencer, Saca La Basura!,” which translates to “Spencer, Take Out the Trash!,” opens with a pointed reference: 'Mayor Karen took a trip way off the map while the hills caught fire.' Produced by a group called Latinos por Pratt – reportedly consisting of just one person, a Cuban American lawyer, according to the Los Angeles Times – the salsa-inspired song has become an earworm for many in Southern California. Its AI-generated music video depicts Pratt, portrayed as a muscled figure in a black T-shirt and jeans, rolling Bass out of town in a garbage bin, dancing with Montag amid cheering supporters waving American and Mexican flags, and sweeping away litter and tent cities with a broom. 'Sweep that nonsense fast,' the lyrics urge, 'cause this clown show can’t last.'
This broom imagery echoes a successful tactic from California political history. In 2003, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor as a Republican outsider, brandishing a broom to symbolize sweeping out special interests and bureaucratic waste in Sacramento. Schwarzenegger's campaign avoided demonizing immigrants or minorities, instead targeting politicians and insiders as the villains – a strategy that won him the election without alienating the state's diverse median voters. Pratt appears to be drawing from this playbook, focusing his attacks on the Democratic establishment to energize Republicans and independents who might otherwise skip the primary.
Online support for Pratt has surged among populist circles, with endorsements from pro-populist groups and individuals. An ad he posted on X last Friday showcases visions of a revitalized Los Angeles, featuring diverse residents from across the city's communities. It steers clear of appeals to any extremist fringe, aligning instead with the inclusive attitudes prevalent among Angelenos. However, not all backing has been so measured. A separate viral ad, not produced by Pratt's campaign, casts Bass as the chaotic Joker from The Dark Knight, flanked by Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris in a decadent, Versailles-like court. Masked figures labeled DSA – referencing the Democratic Socialists of America – bring forward a pleading woman seeking help with homeless drug addicts, only for the leaders to mock her. Newsom's line in the ad: 'Look, if you were a transgender migrant I could get you a free pussy.'
Pratt reposted this ad on X, drawing praise from Republican figures like Senators Ted Cruz and Matt Gaetz, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who called it 'maybe the best political ad of the year.' Yet it has sparked backlash for its crass tone. Liberal essayist and podcaster Meghan Daum, based in Los Angeles and a supporter of Pratt's run, cautioned on X: 'I understand that people around here enjoy these ads, but they will be repellent to the undecided voters Pratt needs to catch, most of whom will think they’re coming directly from the campaign. Get smarter, guys.' The Bass campaign has seized on such content to link Pratt to former President Donald Trump, whom polls show is particularly unpopular in Los Angeles. A spokesperson for Bass described Pratt's house-ad as him doing his 'best Trump impression.'
Another outside ad, set to the tune of “California Dreamin’” with Trump playing the flute against iconic California backdrops, has fueled these associations among Pratt's online enthusiasts. Pratt has distanced himself, emphasizing his aversion to national or tribal divides. His debate performance underscored this localization. When pressed on his lack of government experience overseeing a multibillion-dollar budget, Pratt replied: 'My job is to be, as crazy as this will sound––I’m the adult in the room here as Spencer Pratt. That’s what it’s come to.' He added that advisers would handle the technical aspects of accounting, positioning himself as a steady, change-oriented leader.
The debate also exposed rifts among the Democratic candidates on key issues. Moderators questioned the pair about billions in local and state funds allocated for homelessness that have allegedly been misspent. Bass acknowledged the problems, stating: 'I don’t think it’s shocking that you do find corruption in big programs like this, and I think it is extremely important to hold them completely accountable.' Raman echoed concerns about oversight, saying: 'There is no accountability in the city' – that 'even as we’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year,' there is no staff ensuring every dollar 'is being spent appropriately,' because 'the city has not invested in oversight.'
Bass, who has held office since 2022, has admitted to broader governance challenges in Los Angeles, a sprawling metropolis of nearly 4 million people grappling with wildfires, housing shortages, and public safety. The Palisades Fire, which scorched over 7,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 structures in January 2025, was just one in a series of blazes exacerbated by climate change and urban sprawl. Pratt's campaign has hammered on fire preparedness, arguing that resources were diverted amid the Bass administration's priorities. Crime rates, which spiked during the pandemic, remain a flashpoint, with encampments dotting sidewalks from Skid Row to the Westside.
Pratt's rise reflects a national undercurrent of anti-establishment sentiment, even in deep-blue enclaves like Los Angeles County, where Democrats hold a 2-to-1 voter registration edge. Polling data, though limited for the primary, shows Pratt trailing Bass but closing the gap among independents frustrated with slow progress on homelessness – a crisis that has left over 75,000 people unhoused across the county, according to recent counts. His celebrity past, once a liability, now serves as an asset, drawing media attention and viral moments that Bass's more traditional operation struggles to match.
Critics within the Democratic establishment warn that Pratt's momentum could splinter the vote, potentially forcing a runoff that benefits no one. Raman, a progressive councilmember representing the 4th District, has focused her attacks on Bass's centrist policies, including partnerships with developers and law enforcement. Bass, a former congresswoman and community organizer, counters that her experience in Washington and local activism equips her to navigate federal funding streams essential for city recovery. Both women have dismissed Pratt as unqualified, though his debate qualification – requiring a threshold of signatures and donations – underscores his grassroots appeal.
As the primary nears, Pratt's challenge lies in sustaining his outsider energy without veering into divisive territory. The Schwarzenegger precedent offers a roadmap: broad appeals to competence and cleanup, not cultural warfare. If he can maintain focus on pothole-filled streets, unchecked spending, and disaster response – issues that transcend party lines in a city where traffic snarls and tent cities are daily realities – he might force his way into the November general election. For now, the airwaves buzz with his ads, and drivers like those humming “Saca La Basura!” sense a rare jolt of excitement in an otherwise predictable race.
Looking ahead, the outcome could signal shifts in urban politics, where celebrity insurgents test the limits of populism in progressive strongholds. Bass's team remains confident, citing her endorsements from labor unions and environmental groups. Raman aims to consolidate the left flank, while Pratt courts the disaffected middle. With early voting underway, all eyes are on turnout in a city where apathy often reigns supreme.