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---
title: How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor | TIME
description: Need a temp check on just how angry votes are right now? Look to California, where former reality show villain Spencer Pratt is actually within striking distance of winning a nomination for Mayor of Los Angeles. In his version of this very-online script, he’s the hero coming to save the day—literally, replete with a Batman-styled cape in one viral video and Luke Skywalker-caliber sword skills in another.

In one of those only-in-politics moments, the MAGAverse is rallying behind Pratt, a 42-year-old registered Republican, in hopes he can be the next Mayor of the nation’s second-largest city, a kind of West Coast counterpoint to Zohran Mamdani in New York. Yet their cheering may instead help seal the re-election of the deeply unpopular incumbent, Karen Bass.
canonical: https://time.com/video/GYipqgim/
og:title: How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor
og:description: Need a temp check on just how angry votes are right now? Look to California, where former reality show villain Spencer Pratt is actually within striking distance of winning a nomination for Mayor of Los Angeles. In his version of this very-online script, he’s the hero coming to save the day—literally, replete with a Batman-styled cape in one viral video and Luke Skywalker-caliber sword skills in another.

In one of those only-in-politics moments, the MAGAverse is rallying behind Pratt, a 42-year-old registered Republican, in hopes he can be the next Mayor of the nation’s second-largest city, a kind of West Coast counterpoint to Zohran Mamdani in New York. Yet their cheering may instead help seal the re-election of the deeply unpopular incumbent, Karen Bass.
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twitter:title: How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor
twitter:description: Need a temp check on just how angry votes are right now? Look to California, where former reality show villain Spencer Pratt is actually within striking distance of winning a nomination for Mayor of Los Angeles. In his version of this very-online script, he’s the hero coming to save the day—literally, replete with a Batman-styled cape in one viral video and Luke Skywalker-caliber sword skills in another.

In one of those only-in-politics moments, the MAGAverse is rallying behind Pratt, a 42-year-old registered Republican, in hopes he can be the next Mayor of the nation’s second-largest city, a kind of West Coast counterpoint to Zohran Mamdani in New York. Yet their cheering may instead help seal the re-election of the deeply unpopular incumbent, Karen Bass.
twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/GYipqgim/poster.jpg?width=720
---

* U.S.

# How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GYipqgim.m3u8" -->
## Video: How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor

[Watch (HLS stream): How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GYipqgim.m3u8) (1:18)

![How Spencer Pratt became an unlikely contender for L.A. mayor](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/GYipqgim/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2026-05-28. Need a temp check on just how angry votes are right now? Look to California, where former reality show villain Spencer Pratt is actually within striking distance of winning a nomination for Mayor of Los Angeles. In his version of this very-online script, he’s the hero coming to save the day—literally, replete with a Batman-styled cape in one viral video and Luke Skywalker-caliber sword skills in another. In one of those only-in-politics moments, the MAGAverse is rallying behind Pratt, a 42-year-old registered Republican, in hopes he can be the next Mayor of the nation’s second-largest city, a kind of West Coast counterpoint to Zohran Mamdani in New York. Yet their cheering may instead help seal the re-election of the deeply unpopular incumbent, Karen Bass._


---

May 28, 2026 8:22 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Zohran Mamdani Says New Budget Has Eliminated New York City’s Deficit](/video/lzfbU5UT/)

### Zohran Mamdani Says New Budget Has Eliminated New York City’s Deficit

[Determining the TIME 100](/video/02ILzqUE/)

### Determining the TIME 100

[The TIME 100: Who's Most Influential?](/video/U0pu3XKb/)

### The TIME 100: Who's Most Influential?

---


## Transcript

Think Donald Trump is the only reality star who can bluster his way to political power. Think again. Former villain of The Hills, Spencer Pratt is running stronger than expected in the race to become the mayor of Los Angeles. Let's look at the race to lead the nation's second largest city in one minute of your time. Pratt was among the roughly 6800 homeowners who lost their houses in the Palisades fires last year. Angered by the city's response, Pratt took up activism. That's why I am running for mayor, and I'm. The one year anniversary of the fires. He launched a campaign to unseat the incumbent mayor, Karen Bass.

His media savvy, especially his amplification of viral videos, have helped turn him into a real contender. Pratt's campaign feels a whole lot like the one Trump ran in 2016, railing against the establishment and bending authenticity. Best experience. On June 2nd, assuming none of the 14 candidates gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote getters will advance to a head to head contest in November. Pratt is within striking distance of being one of those two candidates. That said, Pratt is a registered Republican running in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 4 to 1. Even if Pratt advances to the runoff, the odds of him becoming LA's next mayor are still long.

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