Americans across the political spectrum were stunned by President Donald Trump’s upset victory in 2016. Pundits, pollsters, and political insiders had largely failed to account for a powerful bloc of supporters who either stayed quiet about their views or were underestimated entirely — the “silent Trump voters.”
Now, a decade later, some are wondering whether that same phenomenon might be happening in the Los Angeles mayoral race. Is there such a thing as a “silent Spencer Pratt voter”?
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The growing excitement and online buzz surrounding the former reality TV star’s campaign has sparked national headlines, particularly in the weeks since he turned a candidate debate with Mayor Karen Bass and city councilwoman Nithya Raman into must-see television.
While Pratt is running as an independent, he is a registered Republican. And in a city dominated by progressives, openly backing a conservative candidate, particularly one who is a firebrand, is frowned upon.
Pratt’s clever, creative, highly entertaining, and prolific ad campaign has captured the public’s imagination and thrust him into the spotlight.
The latest ad from the Pratt campaign taps directly into this dynamic. After class, a Pilates instructor pulls aside a co-worker and says, “Hey, I have to tell you something. Promise you won’t get mad?” Lowering her voice to a whisper, she confesses: “I’m voting for Spencer Pratt.”
“Get mad?” the co-worker replies, “I’m voting for Spencer Pratt too.”
A third colleague approaches and asks, “Did someone mention Spencer Pratt?”
The pair sheepishly deny it, only for her to reveal, “Oh, because I’m actually voting for him.” They exchange delighted smiles.
Then a fourth employee joins the conversation and admits she’s supporting Pratt too.
This extremely effective ad reflects the toll that decades of progressive governance have taken on Los Angeles. The city has undergone a profound decline, yet those who dare to acknowledge that reality often feel compelled to voice their views in private, fearful of being ostracized by their peers.
Understandably, Pratt’s confrontational, rapid-response style of campaigning has made him a thorn in Democrats’ side. After reports surfaced this week that Pratt stayed at the upscale Hotel Bel-Air after losing his home in the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, he quickly released a highly amusing ad spoofing the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Pratt’s authenticity — and his fervent desire to reverse Los Angeles’s decline — appears to be resonating with voters. He is genuinely alarmed by the city’s trajectory and determined to change it.
What began as a long-shot candidacy is increasingly looking like a serious political campaign. Pratt is effectively channeling the frustration many Angelenos feel toward the city’s political establishment — frustration that was intensified by widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the wildfires.
Whether this growing “awakening” among disaffected Angelenos will translate into victory for Pratt in the primary remains to be seen.
All three candidates will appear on the same ballot on June 2. If one candidate wins more than 50% of the vote outright, that candidate will become the city’s next mayor. A more likely outcome is that the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election in November.
Pratt’s chances of edging out Raman for the second runoff spot have improved significantly since the fiery May 6 debate. If he’s able to clear that hurdle, he will have another five months to target Bass over her dismal record as mayor.
An Emerson College poll released last week found that support for Pratt surged 12 points to 22% since the pollster’s previous survey. Bass led the field with 30%, while Raman trailed at 19%.
STEPHEN COLBERT’S DEMISE BY THE NUMBERS
Though the “silent Spencer Pratt voter” remains more of a theory than a clearly established political reality, this new ad did not come out of nowhere. It is reasonable to assume that the Pratt campaign’s internal polling or voter outreach uncovered at least some evidence that a segment of fed up Angelenos may be quietly supporting him, but are reluctant to say so publicly.
Whatever inspired the ad, it is clearly another success for the Pratt campaign. And Democrats would be foolish to underestimate him.