Spencer Pratt's LA mayoral campaign catches fire as explosion in donations brings him almost level with incumbent Karen Bass

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 00:27, 23 May 2026 | Updated: 00:31, 23 May 2026 Aspiring Los Angeles mayor Spencer Pratt has received a surge in donations which place him close to out-raising incumbent Karen Bass.  The reality star has raised around $2.7 million between April 19 and May 15, according to campaign disclosures, after raising just half a million from January 1 until that period. Bass, a Democrat in the nation's bluest state, has raised only slightly more - $2.8 million - in the two years she's been running for reelection.   Pratt has received 8,490 contributions during that period, with 328 giving the maximum allowed of $1,800.  The Hills star leads Bass in cash on hand, with $1.42 million to her $1.32 million. Leftist Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is also in the running, has raised around $931,000 in the latest reporting period.  She has $1.02 million in cash on hand, trailing both the mayor and Pratt.   The Daily Mail has reached out to both Bass and Pratt for comment.  Spencer Pratt's campaign momentum has translated into fundraising success, with the reality TV star's run for mayor of Los Angeles coming close to out-raising incumbent Karen Bass Bass, an incumbent Democrat in the nation's bluest state, has raised $2.8million in the two years she's been running for reelection A spokesperson Raman told The Daily Mail that she qualified for the maximum matching funds, unlike Pratt and Bass, showing she has the grassroots support they lack.  'While our opponents are funded by corporate Super PACs and MAGA donors from outside this city, our campaign is powered by the people who actually live here, work here, and are fighting to stay here. That is exactly how I will govern — for Angelenos, not for the powerful interests that are trying to preserve the broken status quo at City Hall.'  She claimed that 45 percent of Pratt's donations came from outside California, compared to just 11 percent of her own. Raman also claimed that just 18 percent of Pratt's donations came from within the city limits.   The most recent polls show Bass with a steady lead over Pratt and Raman in the city's jungle primary, in which the top two candidates regardless of party advance to the general election. However, that Pratt could potentially keep Los Angeles from having to decide between two liberals for mayor is a testament to his insurgent campaign. Pratt, an alum of The Hills, the popular reality TV show following former cast members of Laguna Beach, lost his home in the 2025 Palisades fire.  He has made that and LA's vast homeless problem the focus of his campaign. Pratt, an alum of The Hills, the popular reality TV show following former cast members of Laguna Beach, lost his home in the 2025 Palisades fire. He is pictured with wife Heidi Montag Leftist Councilmember Nithya Raman has raised around $931,000 in the latest reporting period The primary is on June 2 with Bass considered the favorite to win. Current polling indicates the race may go to a November 3 runoff since none of the candidates have an outright majority.  If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote during the primary, the top two candidates, regardless of political party, will compete in a runoff in November. While Pratt is running as a Republican, he hasn't embraced President Donald Trump's MAGA movement, which could be considered too extreme for the voters in the traditionally liberal city.  That didn't stop Trump from reportedly mulling an endorsement of Pratt, according to a report from Naughty But Nice Substacker Rob Shuter over the weekend.  'Trump loves celebrity candidates, and Spencer knows exactly how to dominate headlines,' a Republican insider told Shuter. 'The idea of endorsing him has absolutely been discussed.'  The President expressed on Wednesday on the Joint Base Andrews tarmac that he wanted Pratt to do well.  'He's a character. I don't know - I don't know him, I assume he probably supports me. Does he support me?' Trump had been asked whether he saw himself in Pratt, given their shared reality-TV-star past.  Spencer with wife Heidi Montag and their two sons last October A reporter answered: 'I think so.'  'I heard he does. I heard he's a big MAGA person,' Trump said, adding: 'He's doing well.'  Pratt downplayed Trump's praise to TMZ.  'Everybody wants me to succeed because LA is the most important city in the country,' the former Hills star said.  'The only support I need is from moms that wanna feel safe in Los Angeles. I'm laser-focused on that.'  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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