The Los Angeles mayoral race has evolved from a routine local contest into a national spectacle, with Mayor Karen Bass (D) facing a surprisingly strong challenge from former reality TV star Spencer Pratt. Tuesday's nonpartisan primary will send the top two candidates to a runoff if no one clears 50 percent.
Recent polling from Emerson College and Inside California Politics shows Pratt, a Republican, has climbed from fringe status to 22 percent support, trailing Bass at 30 percent. Sixteen percent of voters remain undecided, leaving the door open for further shifts. President Trump has signaled support, telling reporters, “I’d like to see him do well.”
The campaign has turned increasingly combative. Pratt filed a formal complaint accusing Bass of violating election law by campaigning within 100 feet of a ballot drop box. Bass’s campaign dismissed the claim, with spokesperson Alex Stack noting the video in question was filmed at two locations more than 200 feet apart. “Spencer is just mad that his supporters are AI cartoons and we have real Angelenos,” Stack said. “We follow the rules.”
Policy Battleground: Homelessness, Affordability, and Hollywood
The race has become a broader referendum on homelessness, wildfire preparedness, affordability, and the erosion of Los Angeles’s creative economy. Candidates have sparred over how to address the city’s visible crises, with Pratt’s populist message resonating with frustrated voters. Pratt has reframed homelessness as an addiction crisis, a stance that has drawn both support and criticism.
Singer-songwriter and candidate Tish Hyman, who went viral after a gym confrontation involving a transgender woman, has made public safety and economic revitalization central to her campaign. “The most important thing to me is cleaning up our streets,” Hyman said. “Safety, accountability and revitalizing our economy. These are pivotal in turning our situation around.”
Candidate Adam Miller, an entrepreneur and nonprofit executive, accused the media of distorting the race by elevating celebrity candidates. He argued that Bass wants Pratt in a runoff because it sets up a partisan matchup she can win. “Mayor Bass wants Spencer Pratt to be in the runoff because then it’s a Democrat against a Republican, and she’s going to get reelected,” Miller said. He positioned himself as the “serious outsider,” emphasizing executive experience on homelessness, wildfire response, and infrastructure.
Celebrity Endorsements and Political Fault Lines
Actor Dean Cain, a vocal conservative and Trump supporter, endorsed Pratt as a “populist candidate” and “reluctant politician,” while excoriating career politicians. Cain, who left Los Angeles citing declining affordability, said, “They’ve taken the most beautiful, idyllic, incredible state and turned it into a trash heap.” Cain recently made headlines by joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The race has also drawn national attention to the entertainment industry’s economic slowdown, with job losses and production declines becoming central issues. A debate earlier this month featured Bass, Pratt, and Councilmember Nithya Raman, but critics questioned whether viral moments and celebrity politics have overshadowed substantive policy debate.
The outcome of Tuesday’s primary will determine whether Pratt’s surge translates into a runoff slot, potentially reshaping the city’s political landscape. Bass has accused Pratt of exploiting voter anger, but the mayor’s own campaign has struggled to counter the momentum of a candidate who has turned a reality TV persona into a serious political force.
