Karen Bass is running for reelection as Mayor of Los Angeles. It was widely assumed that she was a shoo-in, not because she has a record of success, but because she owns the political machine that controls the city.
That may still be a reasonable bet. The betting markets still give her a 50% of victory, despite having literally burned down a good chunk of the city and having presided over massive corruption and general failure.
Failure in Democratic Party politics is no obstacle to advancement; ask Gavin Newsom about that.
But something odd is happening in the city: newcomer Spencer Pratt, an unabashed Republican who trashes socialists, hates crime, and wants to get the homeless off the streets, is surging. The betting markets now give him a 30% chance of victory because his campaign is so superbly run and his message meets the moment.
The LA County Federation of Labor wants to ensure that Pratt doesn’t have a shot, and their ad against him shows you exactly why he actually is in the running.
The LA County Federation of Labor has a new committee lined up to go after Spencer Pratt, and they are dropping an initial $221k on this video & an additional digital ad. pic.twitter.com/vJnHCDunPb
— Unrig LA (@UnrigLA) May 9, 2026
It could easily be an ad for Pratt, given how appealing it is to people who are tired of Democratic Party mismanagement.
Spencer Pratt is surging in the LA mayor’s race by saying the things voters feel but politicians won’t.
“It is not symptomatic of a red wave. It is about tens or even hundreds of thousands of voters waking up from their stupor and demanding to know what the hell happened to… pic.twitter.com/LQn54GIET1
— The Free Press (@TheFP) May 11, 2026
Spencer Pratt is surging in the LA mayor’s race by saying the things voters feel but politicians won’t.
“It is not symptomatic of a red wave. It is about tens or even hundreds of thousands of voters waking up from their stupor and demanding to know what the hell happened to their city. It is about the massive homeless encampments, the pockmarked freeways and crumbling sidewalks, the broken schools, the unbelievably expensive houses and, of course, the fires. It is about the breakdown in civilization and Angelenos’ desire to return to some semblance of normalcy,” writes @PeterSavodnik
“LA is on the right track” is the message of people who benefit from the pillaging of Los Angeles, but that message only reinforces the fear that many people have that a vote for Bass, or any Democrat, is a vote for decline. The public employees and NGOs will continue to pillage, while L.A. gets more homeless encampments, crime, and declining services.
A left-wing arsonist who reveres Brian Thompson’s accused assassin set the fire. https://t.co/NFGU0w0heh
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) May 10, 2026
Pratt’s campaign has been excellent, and he has mastered the art of grabbing your attention. His story of losing his home in the Palisades fire is relatable, and it has become the keystone of his campaign messaging.
mother’s day is every day pic.twitter.com/33VyxLwfXy
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) May 10, 2026
Pratt has the advantage of being the plucky outsider who is fed up, while Bass’ message is that she will deliver more of the failure that has become her signature.
They not like us pic.twitter.com/78hducHDUE
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) April 29, 2026
The L.A. government/NGO establishment promises it has the answers to the problems that plague Los Angeles, which is why the union ad falls so flat. It is framed as if getting the homeless off the streets is a bad thing, as is hiring more police officers instead of social workers.
LA has over 40K drug addicts holding Angelenos hostage. All it takes is one to make moms feel too nervous to let their kids just go be kids and explore the quiet streets of their beautiful neighborhood. ENOUGH. We are done being held hostage in our own homes. Vote PRATT today! pic.twitter.com/9J3QJWvd1u
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) May 9, 2026
Does anybody outside Antifa and the people who profit off the homeless crisis believe that? Perhaps Karen Bass, who idolized Fidel Castro and was a member of his Venceremos Brigade, did, but few people who work for a living do.
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) May 8, 2026
The Pratt campaign’s pitch is simple: L.A. doesn’t work anymore, and we all know whose fault it is.
LA is worth saving. Vote Spencer Pratt. pic.twitter.com/GpQpnfsuJe
— Charles Curran (@charliebcurran) May 5, 2026
It’s such an unconventional pitch because Los Angeles always votes for the leftist candidate. Bernie over Biden, Bass over Caruso. Communists do better than socialists, and socialists better than moderate Democrats.
LA is worth saving. Vote Spencer Pratt. pic.twitter.com/GpQpnfsuJe
— Charles Curran (@charliebcurran) May 5, 2026
It is the power of the machine, of which Karen Bass is very much a part. That’s why she is still favored to win despite running an awful campaign.
This May The Fourth, Ballots are Mailed. We NEED To Rebel Against the DSA, Against the Poop, Against the Trash, Against the Dog Abuse, Against LA Becoming a Wasteland. This May The Fourth, BE A REBEL, VOTE FOR PRATT!! MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU. @spencerpratt @AdamCarollaShow pic.twitter.com/pfDf15E881
— Latinos Por Pratt (@LatinosPorPratt) April 28, 2026
Bass, after a devastating debate performance in which Pratt dominated against Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, has decided to drop out of the next debate. Given that California has jungle primaries, she is guaranteed a slot on the November ballot, and she needs time to lick her wounds and recalibrate her strategy.
Guy Benson: L.A. Mayor Bass Broke Pledge For Wednesday Debate Like She Did During Palisades Fire When Leaving Country, ‘Her Word Doesn’t Mean Much’ pic.twitter.com/REUp13Q653
— Alexandra Datig | Front Page Index 🇺🇸 (@alexdatig) May 10, 2026
The union ad against Pratt laid bare the choice: more of the same, or a new path. It is Pratt’s message as well.
🚨 CNN MELTDOWN ON LIVE TV!
Leigh McGowan just had a FULL-ON PSYCHOTIC BREAK on CNN after a panelist praised Spencer Pratt for pushing straight-up COMMON SENSE on Los Angeles’ nightmare under Democrat rule!
“I am so exhausted of being surrounded by this level of idiocy!”
She’s… pic.twitter.com/vFj8TdyI5g
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 11, 2026
The only question now is whether enough Angelinos are tired of the failure and willing to flood the polls. The Democratic Party and NGO complex will mobilize a massive number of voters, as they always do. It will take a groundswell of ordinary people to overcome that machine.
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