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How the Machine Buried Spencer Pratt
Spencer Pratt's LA mayoral bid surged on Election Day, only to be reversed as California's entrenched political machine reshaped the final count after the vote.
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RealClearPolitics - Homepage
Hilton, Pratt Advancing in California?
Center Right
Wednesday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, Sean Trende joins Carl Cannon, Tom Bevan, and Andrew Walworth to break down the early results from Tuesday night's primary elections in California, New Jersey, and Iowa, and where both parties are headed going into November. They also look at how the congressional redistricting battle has worked out.
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Blaze Media
Spencer Pratt 2.0? Actor Michael Rapaport eyes run against NYC Mayor Mamdani
From Spencer Pratt to Mayor Michael Rapaport?All eyes have been on Spencer Pratt, the reality show alum vying to wrest the City of Angels from Mayor Karen Bass.While Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum.Pratt’s insurgent campaign was felt from coast to coast. Now, as L.A.’s curious voting system seems to have sent him to a third-place finish, another actor turned candidate could take his place.Did Pratt walk so Michael Rapaport could run?'Soft launch'Rapaport is a familiar face from dozens of movies and TV shows since his 1992 film debut in “Zebrahead.” He recently joined Peacock’s “The Traitors,” a reality-show affair hosted by Alan Cumming. His brash persona proved a snug fit for the series, alienating some while bringing fresh friction to the game.And, as he told the Hollywood Reporter in January, the show was part of his “soft launch” to unseat New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.I think that if you can have a mayor of New York who is a failed rapper, a failed actor, a failed music supervisor and who’s rapped and said so many regrettable things that he did … if nothing else, I have shown once again, especially on "Traitors," that I am what you see and you’ll get an honest mayor.Pratt didn’t lean on MAGA messaging or GOP-friendly talking points in his campaign. He played the outsider, a man motivated by losing his home in the Palisades fires and demanding that the person who let it happen be held accountable.For Rapaport, Mamdani’s socialist policies and perceived animosity toward Jewish New Yorkers sparked his campaign, not any Republican fervor.Accidental politiciansCall them accidental politicians. The facts on the ground made them do it. Rapaport explained his change of heart to Fox News."I never thought that I would even consider running for mayor of New York City, and I will do it with the best intentions.”Rapaport leans to the left, but he has defied some of his party’s groupthink, particularly when it comes to his strong support of Israel.Pratt and Rapaport share a grasp not just of social media but of media training in general. They have been around cameras for years, aware of the power video brings and how to weaponize it for a cause.We’ve seen Pratt leverage those viral campaign videos, playing the frazzled Everyman eager to save his hometown. Rapaport, a trained comic in addition to his acting experience, could do the same.Rapaport has some advantages over Pratt. He announced his campaign years before any voting happens, as opposed to Pratt's abrupt decision. That gives Rapaport time to build his base, criticize Mamdani in real time, and let New Yorkers see what a democratic socialist can do to the Big Apple.Rapaport is betting they won’t like the results.RELATED: Trump DOJ opens multiple investigations into possible election fraud in California L-R: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images; ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty ImagesSharp elbowsPlus, Rapaport isn’t merely a reality show villain like Pratt, with all the baggage that entails. He has delivered memorable performances on FX’s “Justified” and Netflix’s “Atypical,” plus classic films like “Beautiful Girls,” “True Romance,” and “Cop Land.”The veteran actor recently segued back to comedy, appearing in clubs across the country with a genuinely funny set built around his garrulous persona.The downsides for the New York native, beyond the fear that he’s another actor playing the part of political savior? Rapaport throws plenty of sharp elbows on social media and podcasts. He famously teed off on President Donald Trump a few years ago, a potential boost to his New York candidacy.But he softened that stance considerably post-October 7, re-evaluating the president’s policies and the lies spread in the media. That speaks to his maturation, but it might not play well in a cobalt blue city.Relishing a fightWhile Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum. He’s naturally combative, willing to muck it up about sports, culture, and politics on any platform possible.His “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast” lets him weigh in on the New York Knicks, free speech, and much more. Here’s betting Team Mamdani will be combing through past episodes for potentially damaging material.And they just might find some.Pratt proved competitive in his upstart campaign, and even if the vote totals keep him in third place, he still gave the Democratic establishment a major scare.Could Rapaport learn from Pratt’s bold run and write his own Hollywood ending?
Right
News
Gavin Newsom Broke His Promise About California’s Fire Management Work
Starting last year, the governor “fast-tracked” land, now totaling nearly 100,000 acres, for fire management. So far, state-approved groups have completed projects covering less than 1 percent.
Center Right
The Gateway Pundit
(VIDEO) “They’re Cheating Dogs” – Trump Calls Out Rigged California Elections, Says There Was “Too Much Heat” to Rob Steve Hilton
President Trump on Wednesday blasted California's elections again, noting that Trump-Endorsed gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton nearly got robbed like Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt. "The only reason he got approved," Trump said of Hilton, is because "there was too much heat on 'em." Hilton was projected to advance to the November gubernatorial election on Monday night, the same night that Democrat mayoral candidate Nithya Raman took a massive lead over Spencer Pratt, securing her spot in the November mayoral election. The post (VIDEO) “They’re Cheating Dogs” – Trump Calls Out Rigged California Elections, Says There Was “Too Much Heat” to Rob Steve Hilton appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Far Right
RealClearPolitics - Homepage
The Urgent Case for Fixing California's Broken Elections
'It's hard to overstate how much of an outlier California is for its slow vote-counting relative to literally any other state'
Center Right
BizPac Review
INSIDER: Xavier vs. The Donald – Dems will turn to a familiar formula in California
Views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author. Steve Hilton’s name may be on the California ballot, but he’s not the Republican that Xavier Becerra […]
Far Right
Washington Examiner
Jimmy Kimmel trolls Spencer Pratt with U-Haul after primary loss, and Pratt responds
Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel trolled Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt on Tuesday, renting him a U-Haul after his primary loss. Kimmel’s monologue comes after Pratt said he would leave the city if incumbent Mayor Karen Bass or city councilwoman Nithya Raman were elected for mayor, and that he would be done “trying to […]
Center Right
Axios
Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra to face off in California governor's race
Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are headed to the California governor's race in November, according to the Associated Press.The big picture: With 91% of the vote counted as of Tuesday evening: Hilton has 25% of the vote and Becerra 27.9%.The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, face off in November.Context: It took a week of vote counting for the winners to emerge, fueling a familiar ritual where early Republican leads slowly vanish. After a strong showing on Election Night, Hilton's lead slowly diminished, but he still held on to a second-place spot.The delay is in part because mail ballots postmarked by Election Day are still counted.Friction point: The race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom has been a bumpy one.There were 61 total candidates on the ballot, and initially eight top Democrats running for the seat.Then in April, a Democrat front-m-runner, Congressman Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual misconduct, which he denies.Fellow Democrat Betty Yee dropped out shortly after.Even before Swalwell's exit, political commentators were noting the lack of excitement in the race, especially in the Democratic field."The fact that there aren't any rising stars is indicative of a party that has not had for a generation competitive disagreements and healthy dialogue about who it is, and so that's atrophied," Republican strategist Mike Madrid told Axios in April.The losers: The other candidates not advancing include billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, Congresswoman Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco.What's next: The following months will see the Republican Hilton attempt to overcome the odds in California, where nearly half of registered voters are Democrats.Hilton, a Fox News host, has outspoken opinions on several big issues.He told Axios last month that he would use state law enforcement to clear illegal homeless encampments, allow offshore drilling on California's coast and move to a flat 7.5% tax rate to keep and attract businesses.Becerra didn't respond to Axios' questions.
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