Reality television star Spencer Pratt has emerged as a top-tier contender in the Los Angeles mayoral race, outpacing incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman in recent fundraising, though Bass maintains a commanding overall cash advantage heading into the June 2 primary election.
According to the latest filings with the city’s Ethics Commission, Pratt raised nearly $540,000 since January 1, slightly ahead of Raman’s $530,000 and Bass’ $495,000 during the same period. Bass, who is seeking a second term, began fundraising for reelection in 2024 and has accumulated nearly $2.3 million in cash on hand. When publicly funded matching dollars are included, her campaign has collected approximately $3.7 million in total.
The fundraising figures reveal a tightening race in what was once expected to be an easy reelection for Bass. Pratt, a registered Republican who starred in ‘The Hills’ and lost his home in the 2025 Palisades wildfire, has centered his campaign on criticism of Bass’ response to the disaster and other city policies. He announced his candidacy at a rally marking the one-year anniversary of the fire, declaring, ‘Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles.’
Raman, who represents Los Angeles City Council District 4, entered the race in February and has drawn significant support from writers, producers, and others in the entertainment industry. The Democrat and former Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate has positioned herself to the left of Bass, saying, ‘Unless we have some big changes in how we do things in Los Angeles, the things we count on are not going to function anymore.’
Tech entrepreneur Adam Miller has also made a financial impact, loaning his campaign $2.5 million while raising approximately $200,000 in direct contributions. Housing advocate Rae Chen Huang raised more than $165,000 since January 1, bringing her total contributions to $273,000.
A UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs poll released in early April found 40% of Los Angeles voters remain undecided ahead of the June primary. Bass led the field with 25% support, followed by Pratt at 11% and Raman at 9%. Huang and Miller each drew 3%, while 9% said they supported another candidate.
USC, UC Berkeley, and Pepperdine politics professor Dan Schnur told the Los Angeles Times the fundraising totals show the top three polling candidates are ‘evenly matched heading into the final weeks of the campaign.’ He added that ‘Pratt has become a legitimate top-tier candidate.’
The race has evolved into something of an ideological referendum, with Raman running to Bass’ left while Pratt campaigns from the right, focusing on public safety and crime reduction. Bass appeared to be on a path to easy reelection after a relatively drama-free first two years, but the Palisades wildfire and the city’s nearly $1 billion budget gap have placed her leadership under intense scrutiny.
Endorsements for Bass include business and labor organizations and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. Pratt has received support from Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and President Trump’s presidential envoy for special missions Richard Grenell. Raman has been endorsed by Abundant Housing LA and the Future Urbanist Club, though the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America declined to endorse a candidate for the primary.
If no candidate wins a majority in the June primary, the top two finishers will advance to a November runoff. The last time an incumbent Los Angeles mayor was not reelected was in 2005, when James Hahn lost to Antonio Villaraigosa.
UCLA’s Zev Yaroslavsky noted that ‘it is unusual for 40% of likely voters to be unsure of their choice just two months before an LA mayoralty election,’ adding that ‘it is highly likely that this election will be decided in a November runoff.’
Fourteen candidates have qualified for the ballot in the nonpartisan primary election on June 2.
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