Spencer Pratt says his first Los Angeles mayoral debate was incredible, attacks Bass

Spencer Pratt used Los Angeles’ first televised mayoral debate to turn a celebrity candidacy into a direct challenge to City Hall, attacking Mayor Karen Bass on wildfire response and declaring the forum “incredible.” The 42-year-old former reality television figure, who is polling second and has never held elected office, said his appeal comes from sounding like a straight talker rather than a politician.

The debate at the Skirball Cultural Center put Bass, City Councilmember Nithya Raman and Pratt on the same stage for the first time in the 2026 race, a lineup that highlighted how unusual the contest has become. If Pratt wins, he would become the first Republican mayor of Los Angeles since Richard Riordan left office in 2001. He told CBS News that his campaign is connecting because of “common sense” and authenticity, not “politician talk,” and said many Democrats are backing him too.

Wildfire politics dominated the clash. Pratt was among the celebrities who lost homes in the January 7, 2025, Palisades Fire, and he pressed Bass on the city’s preparedness and reservoir management, arguing he would have moved faster to clear dry brush and would not have ordered a reservoir drained. Bass defended her decision to be in Ghana when the fire began, making the debate less a personality contest than a referendum on who can credibly manage a city crisis.

Homelessness and housing were equally central. Bass leaned on Inside Safe, her homelessness initiative launched in December 2022, while critics kept the focus on cost and results. Reporting says Los Angeles has spent more than $300 million on the program, moved about 5,800 people into interim housing and seen roughly 40% of participants return to the streets after exiting. Bass has said Inside Safe helped drive an 18% reduction in street homelessness, but the scale of the problem and the program’s durability remain under scrutiny.

The debate also touched public safety and the city’s film and television sector, underscoring how broad the mayor’s portfolio is in a city where fire recovery, homelessness, and neighborhood safety all compete for attention. With 14 other candidates in the nonpartisan primary and the election set for June 2, the race will advance to a runoff if no one wins a majority. Pratt’s performance made clear that media fame can secure a microphone in Los Angeles, but municipal credibility will depend on whether voters see more than spectacle.