Democrats capitalize on Trump’s support for Spencer Pratt in LA mayoral race

LOS ANGELES — Donald Trump’s endorsement typically boosts candidates, but his recent comments on the Los Angeles mayor’s race are expected to benefit Democrats, just weeks before the primary.

The president spoke favorably of Spencer Pratt, a former Republican and reality TV star who is polling second in the contest to lead the nation’s second-largest city.

“I’d like to see him do well. I don’t know him. I assume he probably supports me,” Trump told a reporter on Wednesday. “I heard he’s a big Maga person.”

Pratt’s rise has shaken up the mayoral race in the deep-blue city. Best known as the villain of the reality TV hit “The Hills,” Pratt lost his home in last year’s wildfires and became a vocal critic of the city’s response and the leadership of Mayor Karen Bass.

Pratt has successfully harnessed anger over the slow pace of recovery, a cost-of-living crisis, and an enduring homelessness emergency to advance his campaign.

He is polling second behind Bass, a longtime state lawmaker, congresswoman, community organizer, and high-profile Democrat.

Still, Pratt faces an uphill battle winning over skeptical voters and defeating Bass and progressive city councilor Nithya Raman.

As Zev Yaroslavsky, who spent nearly four decades in local politics, recently told The Guardian, the most unpopular person in Los Angeles is Donald Trump.

“That’s where Pratt has vulnerability,” said Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin’s School of Public Affairs.

The city has long been a liberal stronghold. Trump has been particularly unpopular in Los Angeles, especially after immigration agents began detaining people on city streets last year, sparking widespread protests. The president deployed the U.S. military to quell the backlash.

Pratt, previously a registered Republican, has said throughout the campaign he is not MAGA, arguing his focus as mayor would be solely on the city rather than national politics.

But his opponents quickly seized on Trump’s nod of approval.

“Both Trump and Pratt want ICE to invade our city and kidnap our neighbors. I stood up to ICE to protect our communities,” Bass said in response, adding that neither of her challengers are “up to the job.”

Raman said Trump wants a foothold in one of the nation’s most progressive cities.

“It’s no surprise Donald Trump supports his LA Apprentice and ‘Big MAGA person’ Spencer Pratt,” Raman wrote. “Your vote for my campaign stops Spencer Pratt from making it to the general election.”

Political analysts said Pratt cannot appear as a conservative Republican if he wants to win. He has had to tread a fine line, acknowledging support from prominent Republicans while appealing to a diverse electorate by tapping into frustrations over quality-of-life issues.

In an interview with CNN earlier this week, Pratt said he registered as a Republican because the party supported permits for concealed carry weapons. He obtained guns after receiving death threats during his reality TV days.

Pratt said his priorities are local issues such as water, power, police, fire department, potholes, sidewalks, and streetlights. “That has nothing to do with national politics or who is in the White House,” he said. “I keep telling people it’s a nonpartisan race.”