Reality TV star Spencer Pratt tests LA voters' appetite for political outsider

LOS ANGELES- Spencer Pratt drew both support and skepticism from Los Angeles residents as voters headed to the polls in a closely watched mayoral primary against incumbent Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman.

Pratt, 42, has been a vocal champion for LA residents since losing his home during the deadly 2025 Palisades wildfire. He launched his mayoral campaign in January with a focus on ousting Bass due to her alleged mishandling of the LA fires.

While he's played into the media circus and is backed by a number of public and private celebrity endorsements, locals remain divided over their choices for mayor.

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LA resident Brian Lovoto adamantly believed Pratt's not the candidate his city truly needs.

"I don't need another reality star in office, especially not another Republican who has no idea what he's doing," Lovoto said.

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"His solution for the homeless, to ship them to Seattle is inhumane, and also just a dumb plan. I have no desire for him to run this city."

"I think Bass has not done a lot of great for this city while she's been in office. I think Raman has proved herself on the council. I think she'll do well as mayor and I like what she stands for."

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Last month, Pratt revealed his plans to crack down on homelessness involved a simple change of location.

"These people have been bussed in by scam rehabs, scam NGOs, scam homeless nonprofits," Pratt told local ABC reporter Josh Haskell while outlining his vision for tackling the city’s homelessness crisis.

"These people, when I unplug them and say we're not taking our tax money anymore, they're all going to Seattle where the mayor will welcome them."

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Local dancer and Los Angeles native Leonardo Flores stressed the importance of voting, but admitted he wasn't too familiar with Pratt as a politician or a reality star. However, he supports ousting Mayor Bass.

"I'm not a big fan of Karen Bass, so I'd be down to see her switched out," Flores said. "I don't know what platform Spencer Pratt is prioritizing."

Flores noted that the housing crisis and soaring cost of living in Los Angeles are the top concerns of Angelenos.

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"How is rent my biggest expense ... Barely leaving any money left for the rest of the month for regular expenses, going out, even enjoying life," he said. "So I'd like to see price controls, rent controls, maybe prices go down in some sort of way, initiatives for more affordable housing."

"There's also a homelessness crisis as well, here in Los Angeles. There are people who are unhoused and they need to be housed, and that makes the city unsafe.

Mayor Bass and the City of Los Angeles launched the Inside Safe program in December 2022 to combat homelessness. Since its inception, the city has spent more than $300 million on various initiatives to clean encampments and offer interim housing programs.

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Yani Gavaldon told Fox News Digital that she wasn't too familiar with Pratt, but wasn't against his decision to try to improve his city.

"I guess anybody can run for mayor if they want to," she said of Pratt. "If he represents the people of LA, then great ... that's very LA to have somebody who's been on TV, who's married to a reality TV star, to be running for something in politics."

She added, "He might have an appearance on TV and he might be very different in person. So yeah, I would say why not ... anybody who feels like they represent LA I think would be a great candidate."

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Molly Swing told Fox News Digital that she had nothing against Bass, but was moved by Pratt's passionate plea to help her community. Swing voted for Pratt.

"We want the LA that we grew up in," Swing said. "I was born and raised here. I'm third generation from Hancock Park, and for me, it's not about qualifications all the time."

"It's about passion and someone that cares, someone that knows how to build relationships, and I think that's all that is needed when it comes to running our city."

"The Hills" star, along with wife Heidi Montag and more than a dozen additional property owners, blamed the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for causing damages to their homes in a lawsuit filed earlier this year.

Plaintiffs accused LADWP of making "the conscious decision to operate the water supply system with the reservoir drained and unusable as a 'cost-saving' measure" during the deadly LA fires, according to the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital.

Stewart Kilgore told Fox News Digital that Pratt was a viable candidate simply through shared life experiences.

"I know he doesn't have any political background, but I think you can learn that as you go," Kilgore said.

"I think the people that are in place now that have all the education in the world still couldn't I guess facilitate what needed to be done correctly. And I think anybody in any given race, creed or what have you can make things happen or not happen."

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When it came down to brass tacks, Kilgore admitted the list was "crazy long" as to what Pratt could accomplish if he makes it through the primaries and is elected in November to lead Los Angeles.

"I mean he's gonna be overwhelmed," Kilgore said. "If he got into office, he will be overwhelmed, but I know he's got a good team behind him."

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He added, "Get some priorities straight. Take care of the place. I know that we have a homeless problem that's gone crap. You know, that's ... That's been going on forever."

Steven Jenny wasn't as impressed with Pratt's demeanor, whether on camera or during campaign rallies.

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"I think, for the amount that I've heard him talk, I've heard little of what he says he's going to do," Jenny told Fox News Digital.

"He's mainly just throwing shade on the other ones, which I get is easy to do, but if you're going to say, 'Hey, it's a mess with this person in,' you should also say why it won't be a mess if you're in,' other than just trust me."

Jenny noted he didn't love any of the candidates running, but would still be sad if Pratt made it on the November ballot.

"I'd probably be a little disappointed," Jenny said of the possibility of Pratt winning. "But I don't think I would be not disappointed with anyone in some way."

Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this report