SouthernWorldwide.com – Spencer Pratt, a former reality television personality, is reportedly gaining traction among frustrated Democrats in Los Angeles, according to U.S. Representative Darrell Issa.
Issa, a Republican from California, stated that Pratt, a hopeful for the mayoral race, is connecting with voters in the heavily Democratic city by presenting “common-sense” solutions to the ongoing issues that have persisted under the current Mayor Karen Bass.
Pratt, widely recognized from the show “The Hills,” has emerged as a prominent figure in the mayoral contest. He has focused on Mayor Bass’s alleged mismanagement of significant wildfires that resulted in the destruction of over 18,000 structures, including Pratt’s own home in Pacific Palisades, and the subsequent slow recovery efforts.
He has also been critical of Bass’s administration for failing to make substantial progress in addressing street homelessness, drug addiction, and crime rates within the city.
“He’s catching fire among ardent historic Democrat voters because Karen Bass has been so ineffective,” Issa commented in a recent interview. “And every time she opens her mouth, she’s talking about more of the same to people who have seen their streets, both crime-ridden and in fact… ineffectively managed.”
Issa further elaborated, “Do I see his common-sense campaigning as resonating? Absolutely.”
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Pratt is participating in a nonpartisan primary election scheduled for June 2. He is competing against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and socialist City Council member Nithya Raman. Current projections suggest that no single candidate will secure over 50% of the vote, which means the two candidates with the highest number of votes will proceed to a runoff election in November.
Recent polling indicates that all three candidates are in a close race. This is notable, as Mayor Bass benefits from the support of prominent Democratic figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Despite the competitive landscape, Pratt, who is a registered Republican, faces significant challenges in a city where less than 20% of voters identify with the Republican party.
Groups aligned with Mayor Bass have also launched advertising campaigns that criticize Pratt’s party affiliation, even though the political newcomer is officially running as an independent candidate.
However, Representative Issa pointed to historical instances of Los Angeles electing a mayor with Republican ties, despite the city’s overall Democratic leanings.
“I will say that Dick Riordan, now deceased, but a Republican who was mayor a generation ago, had that same sort of common sense… and he did resonate. He was elected,” the California Republican stated. He added, “He goes down in history as a period in which Los Angeles did improve very much, like New York and Rudy Giuliani.”
Dick Riordan was the last Republican to be elected mayor of Los Angeles, having won a second term in 1997.
More recently, billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who transitioned from Republican to Democrat, lost the 2022 mayoral election to Karen Bass. His campaign reportedly spent over $100 million.
In what appears to be an effort to appeal to Democratic voters, Pratt has attempted to distance his campaign from national political issues.
“In LA, they want to feel safe, they don’t want to step in human poop,” Pratt told NBC News in a recent interview. He further explained his focus, stating, “I don’t need to have personal opinions about anybody that doesn’t affect them stepping in human poop.”
When questioned by the outlet about former President Donald Trump’s vocal support for his campaign, Pratt indicated that he did not require such backing. Trump has not yet issued a formal endorsement.
“I don’t need anyone’s endorsement but mothers’. That’s who’s getting me elected,” Pratt responded.
