The race for mayor of Los Angeles is over. At least, for now. Reality star Spencer Pratt made a now-famous (or maybe infamous) stand against incumbent Karen Bass, only to most likely end up in a November runoff race.
Why is there a runoff race for mayor of LA?
Bass did not get the required 50% of the vote to win. That means the race continues, with her facing another candidate in the fall. As of Wednesday morning, registered Republican (who has a non-party platform) Pratt was barely ahead, with 30% of the vote. Progressive Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is a close third.
While Pratt is ahead of Raman (as of early Wednesday), the results are yet to be called.
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Why did Spencer Pratt join the race for mayor of Los Angeles?
Tired of the status quo, The Hills alum’s campaign focused on making major changes to how the city handles homelessness, public safety, crime, and emergency preparedness.
Disillusioned with L.A.’s response to the Palisades fires, Pratt (who lost his home to the wildfire) used his celeb status to catapult himself into a political career. According to his website, Pratt says, “I’m not a politician, I’m a husband and father who watched my home burn because the system failed us.”
An outspoken critic of LA’s current mayor, Pratt also said, “We don’t need more government programs. We need more common sense, accountability, and a mayor that shows up for everyone.”
Along with support from his wife, reality star Heidi Montag, The Hills cast stars Brody Jenner and Kristin Cavallari have also publicly backed him. Likewise, actor James Woods, iconic music producer David Foster, and performer Katherine McPhee have also used their celebrity status to help Pratt’s campaign.
And then there’s the president. Pratt also caught the attention of another former reality TV star, Donald Trump. Even though Trump hasn’t officially endorsed Pratt, he does seem to like the celebrity candidate, saying, “I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character.”
Following the election, Prattl spoke to Fox 11 Los Angeles, saying of Bass, “It’s going to be a fun ride. I hope she’s ready.” When asked if he’s ready, Pratt replied, “I was born for this clearly.” He continued, “Now I have five months to get deep into every community that hasn’t heard my message to make them safe. So, I’m actually very excited.”
On his pitch for becoming the next mayor of Los Angeles, candidate Pratt added, “I have months now to prove that to them. It’s not a pitch tonight. These people just voted for Mayor Bass; it’s going to take a lot of work. I’m going to have to show them that.”