Reality TV star Spencer Pratt enters the race for mayor of Los Angeles following deadly wildfires
Spencer Pratt, a personality from reality television, announces his candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles, promising to implement systemic reforms following the destruction of his home by wildfires.
Spencer Pratt, a reality television star, has declared his candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles, framing his campaign as a response to what he sees as deep-rooted political shortcomings in the city.
Pratt, 42, announced his unlikely candidacy for mayor on the anniversary of the catastrophic Palisades wildfire, which ravaged his Pacific Palisades residence and stands as one of California’s most destructive fires in history.
He announced it at a “They Let Us Burn” rally, organized by residents who lost their homes in the fire that swept through the affluent coastal community between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean on January 7, 2025.
Hours after the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire erupted on the opposite side of Los Angeles. The twin disasters resulted in the loss of 31 lives and the destruction of over 16,000 homes and businesses throughout the city.
Pratt subsequently posted images on Instagram depicting him signing what seemed to be campaign documents, even though his candidacy has not been officially submitted yet.
During the rally, Pratt criticized the city leadership for their complacency and shortcomings, stating that “business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles.”
“I’m finished waiting for others to take meaningful steps,” he stated. “This is more than a campaign. It is a quest to reveal the system and illuminate the shadowy aspects of LA politics.
Pratt and his wife, former reality TV star Heidi Montag, experienced the loss of their home in the fire. Following the disaster, Pratt has become a prominent critic of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom regarding their management of wildfire preparedness and emergency response.
The reality TV figure gained fame in the mid-2000s as a participant on MTV’s The Hills, where his relationship with Montag emerged as a key storyline. The couple tied the knot in 2008 and are parents to two children.
They have since been featured on various reality shows, such as I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here and the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother.
Even with his fame, Pratt joins the race as a political novice and confronts significant challenges in a competitive, non-partisan mayoral primary set for June.
Mayor Karen Bass, elected in 2022 after her victory over real estate developer Rick Caruso, is pursuing re-election, joined by over a dozen other announced candidates.
