Spencer Pratt has outraised Karen Bass in LA Mayoral race so far, despite the ire of the tabloid media
By Easton Martin | May 21, 2026
The Los Angeles mayoral race has taken a highly unexpected turn as former reality television star Spencer Pratt has managed to outraise incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the latest campaign finance filing cycle. The surge in financial backing comes just weeks before the June 2 primary election, shaking up a race that political analysts originally expected to be a straightforward reelection campaign for Bass.
Pratt, a registered Republican who rose to fame as the antagonist on the MTV series The Hills, entered the race following the destruction of his Pacific Palisades home during the devastating wildfires in early 2025. Running an unconventional campaign fueled by social media stunts and sharp criticism of the current administration, Pratt has rapidly climbed to second place in recent polling, surpassing progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
The latest fundraising figures reveal a significant shift in donor enthusiasm. Pratt has tapped into a combination of national conservative backing, localized frustration over the city response to natural disasters, and a digital fundraising apparatus that outperforms traditional campaign methods. Bass, who has faced criticism over her administration’s handling of homelessness and post-fire recovery efforts, now finds herself playing defense against a challenger who has provided realistic solutions to unaddressed local grievances.
What makes this development particularly compelling is how it disrupts the established political playbook in one of the most progressive cities in the United States. Los Angeles has not elected a Republican mayor since Richard Riordan left office in 2001, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by a ratio of roughly four to one.
Pratt’s fundraising success demonstrates that voters are tired of infrastructure failures and public safety, enough so to cross traditional party lines. This has allowed an outsider candidate to gain a serious financial foothold. Despite the complaining from outlets like TMZ, The Daily Beast, or The LA Times, Pratt seems to be gaining traction. It seems that media outlets are immune from understanding the widespread appeal of even just a hint of populism.
