Reality TV Star Spencer Pratt Surges Into Third Place In L.A. Mayor's Race

New poll shows Pratt gaining ground as a Republican challenger to incumbent Mayor Karen Bass

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:40am

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An avant-garde painting with overlapping, fractured geometric shapes in warm tones of orange, red, and yellow, conveying the dynamic energy and uncertainty of a political race.The chaotic, fast-paced nature of the Los Angeles mayoral race is captured in this abstract, expressionistic painting.Los Angeles Today

A new poll for the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election shows current mayor Karen Bass maintaining the lead, but reality TV star Spencer Pratt has surprisingly surged into third place as a Republican challenger. The poll, conducted by UCLA and FM3, reveals that over a quarter of voters are still undecided, but Bass leads among decided voters with 25%. Pratt came in third with 14% of the vote, behind City Councilmember Nithya Raman in second place with 17%.

Why it matters

The strong showing by the politically inexperienced Pratt, known for his role on the reality show 'The Hills', has shaken up the race and raised questions about voter dissatisfaction with the political establishment. Bass has also faced criticism over her handling of the recent Los Angeles wildfires, which destroyed whole neighborhoods while she was out of the country.

The details

The poll surveyed 840 likely voters between March 9 and 15, and found that 56% of voters held an unfavorable view of Bass, while only 31% held a favorable view. Analysts say the poll is bad news for Bass, since many were unfamiliar with the other candidates. Pratt announced his Republican candidacy in February, holding a rally where he cited the wildfires as a key reason for running, saying 'We are standing here amongst the ashes of our once beautiful town because the state and local leaders let us burn.'

  • The poll was conducted between March 9 and 15, 2026.
  • Pratt announced his candidacy as a Republican in February 2026.
  • In January 2025, Bass received criticism for being in Ghana during the Los Angeles wildfires.

The players

Karen Bass

The current mayor of Los Angeles, who is leading in the poll but faces criticism over her handling of the recent wildfires.

Nithya Raman

A City Councilmember who came in second place in the poll with 17% of the vote.

Spencer Pratt

A reality TV star who has surprisingly surged into third place in the poll as a Republican challenger, with 14% of the vote.

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What they’re saying

“We are standing here amongst the ashes of our once beautiful town because the state and local leaders let us burn.”

— Spencer Pratt

“We need to look at everything about the preparation and all of that for the fires becuase I think when we evaluate that, we will find that although there are warnings – that I frankly wasn't aware of – although there were warnings, I think our preparation – it wasn't what it typically is.”

— Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles

“I will tell you that I felt absolutely terrible not being here for my city and not being here for my family, who was impacted by the fires as well. And so when I say it was a mistake absolutely, the idea that I was not present was very painful.”

— Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles

What’s next

The next major event in the Los Angeles mayoral race will be the first televised debate, scheduled for May 1, 2026.

The takeaway

This poll result highlights the potential for political outsiders and non-traditional candidates to gain traction, even in a high-profile race like the Los Angeles mayoral election. It also underscores the importance of crisis management and public perception for incumbent politicians like Mayor Bass, whose handling of the wildfires appears to have damaged her standing with voters.