Reality star Spencer Pratt knocked out of race to be LA mayor after tight competition

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST NITHYA Raman has knocked former reality TV star Spencer Pratt out of the race to get on the ballot to run for mayor of Los Angeles, US media has declared.

The candidates were in tight competition to face incumbent mayor Karen Bass in the mayoral election in November. Pratt was in second place for much of the counting, before being overtaken by Raman.

Under the Californian primary system, only the two candidates with the most votes advance to the November election. Almost a week after counting began, NBC News projected that City Council member Raman will advance to compete against Bass.

Raman’s win was announced almost a week into counting – a process which can take weeks in California due to the state’s large population and the high rate of voting by mail ballot.

Bass (72), a former Democratic congresswoman who is fighting for her second term in office, has 34.3% of the current vote, while Raman (44) is coming in second with 28.5% of the vote.

Pratt, who currently has 25.8% of the vote, used AI-generated videos and negative campaigning to grab attention and set himself apart from incumbent Bass, who has held the position since 2022.

Pratt and his wife Heidi Montag lost their home in the California wildfires last year and this January filed a lawsuit suing the state for actions they argue led to the damage. More than 20 other homes in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood were affected by the alleged failings.

The couple said, after the fire, they’ve been living in a caravan on their property. TMZ subsequently reported that they were instead staying at the Hotel Bel-Air.

Advertisement

Pratt and Montag rose to stardom on The Hills, a 2006 spin-off of Laguna Beach, and they’ve dipped in and out of fame since.

Pratt’s list of supporters is diverse: Paris Hilton, former US ambassador Nicole Avant, LA Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, and billionaire hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, as well as founders of companies like Tinder and Ring.

The former TV star ran his campaign with the slogan ‘save Los Angeles’. His provocative AI-generated campaign videos prompted delight and outrage.

One shows Pratt dressed as Batman coming to save the city from Bass, who is dressed as the Joker.

However, some voters say Pratt is unqualified or fame hungry. Pratt’s sister Stephanie has urged people not to vote for him, saying it would be a “vote for stupidity”.

In a series of posts on X, she made a number of serious allegations against her brother.

LA is a Democrat stronghold. Its mayoral races are non-partisan, but Pratt is a registered Republican. He says, however, he doesn’t represent a party. He told the Hollywood Reporter that he identifies as a “community advocate”.

Ex-US congresswoman and Democratic Party stalwart Bass had an unremarkable start to her stint at the helm of the city, and seemed headed for easy re-election.

But her flat-footed handling of the huge fires that tore through the area in January 2025 left her in trouble. Her response to federal immigration raids in the proudly diverse city somewhat righted the ship, but she remains vulnerable.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal