Reality TV star Spencer Pratt is gaining traction in the race for Los Angeles mayor through his latest ad, which went viral online.
“The Hills” reality TV show star’s opponents say he is channeling President Donald Trump, but the populist messaging from his nontraditional campaign is resonating with voters, racking up more than 10 million views within a day.
The emotional heart of Spencer Pratt’s viral campaign ad
In the video, he is seen walking around a wealthy neighborhood in Los Angeles.
“This is where Mayor Bass lives. You notice something? Or here, where Nithya Raman’s $3 million mansion sits,” Pratt says in the 30-second ad, as he points to their homes.
“They don’t have to live in the mess they’ve created — where you live.”
The video then cuts to his mobile home.
“This is where I live,” he says. “They let my home burn down. I know what the consequences of failed leadership are. That’s why I’m running for mayor, for my sons and the rest of us Angelenos that want to stop these corrupt politicians from destroying our city. We are going to get the golden age of Los Angeles back.”
The emotional anchor to Pratt’s campaign is the 2025 Pacific Palisades fire that led to his home burning down. Pratt has said he considers it his mission “to make sure the Palisades Fire isn’t forgotten in the dustbin of history.”
As the Deseret News reported, this unprecedented natural disaster led to the loss of 29 lives and resulted in more than $25 billion in property damage.
In the aftermath of the fire, LA Mayor Karen Bass faced scrutiny over covering up the city’s mismanagement in response to the fire in an internal investigative report. The fact that Bass was on an official visit to Ghana at the time of the fires also drew backlash.
Since the incumbent’s approval ratings are underwater, it creates an opportunity for another candidate to become mayor.
Democratic opponents react to Spencer Pratt’s new ad
According to the latest polls, Pratt received 11% of the support, compared to Bass’s 24%.
Pratt is a registered Republican but he is running as an independent.
Los Angeles hasn’t had a Republican mayor in two decades, but the polls show that nearly half of Angelenos are undecided on whom they’ll vote for in this election.
Pratt’s latest ad, titled “They not like us,” portrays his lack of political experience as a positive, highlighting his outsider image. It also promises “a new golden age” for this Southern California city.
Incumbent Mayor Bass’ campaign said, “Spencer is doing his best Trump impression.”
Council Member Nithya Raman also noted Pratt took a page from Trump’s playbook, noting, “incendiary language, fear-mongering, and political stunts meant to divide and distract.”
Raman added, “Filming an ad outside my home, where my young children live, feels unnecessary and reckless.”
Pratt responded by saying Raman is “just validating the entire premise of our commercial.
“She doesn’t care if there are homeless drug addicts in front of your home, in front of your kids’ school, but God help her if a man in a suit takes a picture on the public street for two minutes,” Pratt said.
Spencer Pratt’s budding support
Pratt has outraised Bass and Raman, as per the latest campaign finance reports released last week.
He raised $540,000 since announcing his candidacy, compared to Bass’ $495,000 in the same period.
Most recently, Pratt also earned the support of Jeanie Buss, the owner of the Lakers, who donated the maximum allowable amount to Pratt’s mayoral bid.
“A donation like this is a double benefit,” Dan Schnur, a longtime California political strategist and professor at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, told Mercury News.
“Not only is the money very helpful to the campaign, but a respected business and community leader like Buss lends an aura of credibility that’s especially valuable to a nontraditional candidate like Pratt.”
Of the $1,800 donation, Schnur added: “It’s not quite as good as a check from LeBron, but it’s pretty close.”
Is Spencer Pratt conservative?
Pratt is a registered Republican but he is running as an independent. Los Angeles hasn’t had a Republican mayor in two decades.
His views lean conservative on immigration; he said he would cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and end LA’s sanctuary city status. Pratt also strongly advocated for increased public safety and a “treatment-first” approach to homelessness by prioritizing mental health care and addiction recovery.
He has also drawn attention from outspoken commentators, including Joe Rogan and Benny Johnson.
However, Pratt appears unable to distance his campaign from his reality TV background. Shortly after he launched his bid for mayor, Pratt’s sister, Stephanie, slammed him, saying, “A vote for him is a vote for stupidity.”
Voted the “Greatest Reality TV Villain” in 2015, Pratt isn’t afraid to leverage his polarizing image and position himself as the dark horse in this race.