Pratt’s Digital Offensive
Reality television personality Spencer Pratt is waging an unconventional campaign for Los Angeles mayor, saturating social media with provocative humor, AI-generated content, and aggressive rhetoric. This strategy, which some political analysts are labeling “AI slop” and a bid to “win the internet,” is being viewed by some as a potential blueprint for future online political engagement. Pratt’s campaign has prominently featured outlandish AI-generated videos, including one depicting him in a lightsaber duel with current Mayor Karen Bass, and another where he is depicted as Batman rescuing a burning Los Angeles. His campaign has also mobilized a network of freelance “clippers” tasked with producing short social media clips of him criticizing city leaders. Furthermore, Pratt has promoted unsubstantiated claims about a nonexistent “super meth” crisis in the city and has made false assertions regarding the response of California lawmakers to the Palisades Fire.
The 42-year-old, widely recognized for his role in the MTV reality series “The Hills,” appears adept at navigating the attention economy. He has adopted the combative and mocking political style prevalent in fringe online communities, a style also celebrated by allies of President Trump. Steve Bannon, a former top adviser to Trump, commented that Pratt is “probably the most Trumpian candidate we’ve ever seen in terms of house style.” Bannon further elaborated that Trump’s success stemmed from attracting individuals to politics who harbor a disdain for the political establishment, a tactic he observes Pratt employing online.
The Electoral Battlefield
Despite his digital acumen, Pratt faces considerable electoral challenges. On June 2, Los Angeles voters will participate in the city’s nonpartisan “jungle primary.” Pratt, a registered Republican, is set to contend against the Democratic incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and progressive council member Nithya Raman. The election rules dictate that if any candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, they are elected mayor outright. Should no candidate achieve this majority, the two leading vote-getters will advance to a runoff election in November. Current polling suggests a close contest between Pratt and Raman, while Mayor Bass maintains a significant lead.
Pratt has introduced a brash and extreme tone into the typically more measured arena of municipal politics. He has utilized platforms such as TikTok to post direct-to-camera videos criticizing Mayor Bass’s handling of the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfires, which destroyed his family’s home. He has characterized Bass as “the mayor who let the town burn down.” Additionally, Pratt has accused city leaders of fostering the decline of residents’ quality of life, describing the city as “a city battered by fires, homelessness and crime”—a narrative that resonates strongly with many right-wing influencers and streamers. He has also advanced unsubstantiated claims that “socialists in LA city government are stealing your money” and has referred to the city’s homeless population as fentanyl-addled “zombies,” vowing to clear encampments through mass arrests.
Dan Cassino, a professor of government at Fairleigh Dickinson University specializing in masculinity and politics, noted that Pratt’s accusation against Bass and Raman of “running a grift with the Homeless Industrial Complex” is a vague and unsubstantiated assertion designed to galvanize his online supporters. Cassino explained that such rhetoric is highly effective in “red-pilled forums” where a belief in individual agency and a desire for unconventional truths prevail. He also pointed to Pratt’s endorsement from podcaster Joe Rogan as evidence of his credibility within the “manosphere,” a community of male influencers often critical of mainstream society. “Focusing on this audience is a way to target young men,” Cassino stated, drawing a parallel between Pratt’s strategy and that of President Trump in 2024.
‘Winning the Internet’ Versus Electoral Success
Former Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin has observed Pratt’s campaign evolve from an unlikely long-shot to a contender in the top three. Pratt’s substantial social media following prior to his political candidacy has significantly amplified the reach of AI-generated videos created by his supporters. The engagement from Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), who has repeatedly re-shared and commented on Pratt’s content to his 240 million followers, has further boosted his visibility. Conservative influencers such as Laura Loomer, Ben Shapiro, and Benny Johnson also contribute to Pratt’s reach by commenting on and reposting his material.
“Winning the internet is not the same thing as winning the election, but it can help,” Bonin remarked. He cited examples of successful digital campaigns, such as that of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who effectively used Instagram Reels and TikTok to showcase his relatability. Closer to home, Los Angeles Controller Kenneth Mejia won his 2022 election by leveraging his two corgis in billboards and social media videos, appealing to a highly online demographic. Bonin highlighted that Pratt’s approach differs in his utilization of the established right-wing online media infrastructure. “Unlike left-leaning candidates, right-leaning candidates come into an internet ecosystem that is well-practiced in promoting itself through its various networks,” he observed.
Bonin also noted the timing of the launch of California Post, a West Coast edition of Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, coinciding with Pratt’s campaign launch. This outlet, he suggested, has been instrumental in reinforcing the narrative of a supposed crisis in Los Angeles, which aligns significantly with Pratt’s campaign message. Pratt and his campaign did not respond to requests for an interview, and Mayor Bass’s office declined to comment.
AI and Industry Concerns
Nithya Raman, through a spokesman, dismissed Pratt’s online tactics, asserting that the AI-generated videos demonstrate his disconnect from issues that are of critical concern to the city’s entertainment industry. “Hollywood jobs are being devastated by AI, meanwhile Spencer Pratt is using his platform to promote AI-generated content amplifying the very technology replacing the workers he claims to care about,” Raman stated. Her campaign emphasized that their videos are produced by “working film and television professionals who believe Los Angeles can be better.”
When confronted with Pratt’s campaign style, the available responses are either to engage on his level or to abstain from participation. Cassino suggested that Raman and Bass are adopting a “Rose Garden strategy” by avoiding a direct match to the intensity and absurdity of Pratt’s online campaign, a tactic he deemed politically prudent. “He’s more chronically online than they are. He has fans who generate this stuff for him in a way that they don’t, so any attempt for them to do this will make them look inauthentic,” Cassino explained.
It remains challenging to quantify the extent to which Pratt’s content and provocative messaging reach Los Angeles voters. However, on platforms like X, he has garnered praise as the most “anti-woke” and “based” candidate—internet slang signifying an unapologetic self-expression and disregard for offending others. His preferred derogatory term for Mayor Bass is “Karen Basura,” Spanish for trash, and he refers to her supporters as “Bassholes.” Cassino indicated that this type of aggressive language is particularly appealing to young men online. “If people are voting for Spencer Pratt because they think it’s funny versus because they seriously want him to be mayor, the vote still counts,” Cassino observed.
Navigating the MAGA Sphere
Regardless of its resonance with voters, Pratt continues to employ inflammatory language and a pugnacious tone, a posture that is well-received within the online MAGA community. Bannon suggested that this approach represents a new model for right-wing political candidates, both nationally and locally. “Pratt knows it’s not politics, it’s drama,” Bannon stated, drawing from his background as a Hollywood financier before entering politics. “He’s got a warrior mentality.”
Bannon did express some reservations about Pratt’s extensive use of AI-generated content, despite finding it entertaining. He cautioned that such videos might alienate voters who perceive them as trivializing the mayoral race, especially given the current saturation of AI-generated fakes and junk online. “On the AI slop, he’s one inch away from jumping the shark,” Bannon warned. “It can be effective, but it’s starting to get tiresome, and it could backfire if you promote it too much.”
The widespread use of AI-generated content in political campaigns, as exemplified by Spencer Pratt, puts attention on authenticity and the potential for misinformation. While Pratt’s strategy has garnered significant online attention and support from certain digital communities, its effectiveness in translating to actual electoral success in a city with a strong Democratic majority remains to be seen. The campaign highlights a growing trend of leveraging digital platforms and emerging technologies like AI to influence public opinion and political discourse, presenting both opportunities and challenges for traditional campaigning methods.
