Did Spencer Pratt Win? Reality Star Takes Shock Second Place In Early LA Mayor Election

Spencer Pratt could upset Mayor Karen Bass's second-term bid with his surprise run in the primary rankings.

Early primary returns in the Los Angeles mayor's race showed incumbent Mayor Karen Bass leading, with reality TV star Spencer Pratt in second place and City Councilmember Nithya Raman in third.

The candidates are vying for one of two likely spots in a November runoff that will determine who leads a city of nearly 4 million residents.

Spencer Pratt Second in LA Mayoral Primary

It's still a close race as of Wednesday morning (2 a.m.) per LAist, Bass with 172,720 votes (34.79 per cent) and Pratt with 151,149 votes (30.44 per cent). Raman trails significantly with 110,848 votes (22.32 per cent).

Pratt addressed the early turnout on Tuesday evening while celebrating with supporters at his watch party at Don Antonio's on L.A.'s Westside. 'I'm going to prove to everyone this is for real, and I'm ready to run this city,' he told reporters.

Pratt decided to enter the race early last year, shortly after his home was razed in the fire that swept across the Pacific Palisades. He has since used that mishap to challenge Bass's bid for office, blaming her for what he considers the city's incompetent response to the fire and its recovery process.

Primary Frontrunners Explain What's at Stake

The contest is unfolding against a backdrop of overlapping crises that the next mayor will be expected to confront, including homelessness, housing affordability, wildfire recovery and preparations for the 2028 Olympics.

The office carries a £10.4 billion ($14 billion) city budget and a prominent public platform, even as the Los Angeles City Council retains significant governing power.

On homelessness, Bass has highlighted a reported 6% decline in the city's unhoused population over two years through her Inside Safe initiative, while critics point to high costs and limited transitions into permanent housing.

Meanwhile, Pratt has promised to 'get rid of' unhoused people and has focused his message on enforcing laws against unhoused drug users.

'These people have been bussed in by scam rehabs, scam NGOs, scam homeless nonprofits,' Pratt told ABC. 'These people, when I unplug them and say we're not taking our tax money anymore, they're all going to Seattle where the mayor will welcome them.'

Pratt rose to fame in the mid-2000s as one of the most polarising figures on MTV's The Hills, where his on-screen feuds and relationship with Heidi Montag became constant tabloid fixtures.

He leveraged that notoriety years after the show ended, appearing in multiple reality shows and maintaining a strong social media presence. He has since positioned himself as a disruptive contender in the 2026 race.

Voters Ambivalent over Spencer Pratt's Campaign

Pratt's critics called out his candidacy and his approach to homelessness as they cast their ballots. 'I don't need another reality star in office, especially not another Republican who has no idea what he's doing,' LA resident Brian Lovoto told Fox News. 'His solution for the homeless, to ship them to Seattle is inhumane, and also just a dumb plan. I have no desire for him to run this city.'

Voters also weighed their options among the non-incumbent candidates as they navigated concerns about cost of living and housing. 'I think Raman has proved herself on the council. I think she'll do well as mayor and I like what she stands for,' Lovoto added.

Some residents said they were open to seeing Bass replaced but were not closely familiar with Pratt's platform. 'I'm not a big fan of Karen Bass, so I'd be down to see her switched out,' Leonardo Flores said, adding, 'I don't know what platform Spencer Pratt is prioritising.'

With early ballots counted but weeks of updates still ahead, analysts expect the race will be close but remain unsettled. In California, counties must continue tallying vote-by-mail and provisional ballots, with final primary results required to be certified by 10 July.