Spencer Pratt's AI Campaign Tests LA's Political Limits

Los Angeles voters face a stark choice in the June 2 jungle primary: whether a former reality television personality can convert online attention into enough votes to reach the November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, has flooded social media with AI-generated videos showing him battling Bass with lightsabers or descending as Batman over a burning city, while his supporters produce short clips that attack city leadership on homelessness, crime and wildfire response. The approach has drawn praise from figures including Steve Bannon and Joe Rogan, yet polls show Bass maintaining a comfortable lead, with Pratt and progressive Councilmember Nithya Raman competing for second place. Pratt has described the mayor's race as nonpartisan and has avoided amplifying President Trump's recent endorsement, which praised him as a "big MAGA person." He has also released AI-generated salsa and merengue tracks in Spanish and held events in South Los Angeles that featured taco trucks and endorsements from Latino business groups. Critics note that many residents displaced by the Palisades Fire and other recent blazes remain registered Democrats who have previously supported the current leadership. Pratt has pledged to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and to clear street encampments through mass arrests, positions that contrast with the city's sanctuary policies. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by roughly three to one, a structural barrier that has limited past Republican mayoral candidates. Former Councilmember Mike Bonin observed that digital reach can amplify a message but does not guarantee ballot success. Pratt's campaign has not released detailed policy white papers on housing or public safety, focusing instead on short-form video content that highlights visible disorder. If no candidate receives a majority on June 2, the top two finishers will meet in November.