Spencer Pratt, the former reality TV star best known for his role on MTV's The Hills, has failed in his bid to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. The Associated Press called the race on Monday night, with progressive city councilor Nithya Raman defeating Pratt. Raman will now face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November general election.
Pratt, who lost his home in the Pacific Palisades wildfire in January 2025, had campaigned heavily on frustrations with the city's response to the disaster. He positioned himself as an outsider ready to tackle issues such as the cost-of-living crisis and homelessness, which have left many Angelenos feeling the city is heading in the wrong direction. His social media presence, including AI-generated campaign ads depicting a dystopian Los Angeles, garnered significant attention but failed to translate into enough votes.
Despite his online popularity, Pratt faced an uphill battle as a registered Republican in a deeply Democratic city. Los Angeles has not elected a Republican mayor since Richard Riordan in 2001. The endorsement from Donald Trump, who remains unpopular among local voters, was seen as a further hindrance. Pratt largely avoided partisan labels during the campaign, focusing instead on attacking city leadership.
Pratt has not conceded the election, and his social media activity has been sparse since the primary. In one post, he suggested without evidence that Raman had rallied unhoused people to vote for her. He also shared a photo of a duck on water, apparently referring to Bass as a lame duck. As of Monday, Pratt had secured 25.8% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.
