Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayor run ends in defeat, but the spotlight stays on
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Spencer Pratt‘s improbable Los Angeles mayoral run may be over, but questions about his political future are only beginning. After channeling frustration over the Palisades fire recovery, government red tape, and anti-establishment sentiment into a surprisingly competitive campaign, Pratt emerged as more than a reality TV villain dabbling in politics. He built a following among […]
Now that Republican California governor candidate Steve Hilton is going to appear on the ballot, he is being asked about the possibility of working with Spencer Pratt, an idea which he says he is completely open to, especially on issues like homelessness.
The post California Republican Governor Candidate Steve Hilton Open to Having Spencer Pratt Work on His Campaign, Maybe Even in His Administration (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Back in April, New York City's new Democratic Socialist (communist) Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared that the city was in the midst of an 'historic' budget crisis.
The post NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Announces Multi-Million ‘Investment’ in Gender Affirming Care, Weeks After Claiming City is in ‘Historic’ Budget Crisis (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Allegations of voter fraud in the Los Angeles mayoral primary election were bolstered by some homeless people on Skid Row claiming they were paid to vote for the leftists in the race.Republican-leaning Spencer Pratt was shut out of the jungle primary, which allows the top two vote-getters to proceed to the general election.'I was just trying to make 5 bucks, you know? But I didn't do the fraud.' Some Pratt supporters became suspicious after Pratt initially won second place in the partial results announced on Election Night and then the gap whittled away with each tranche of ballots that were counted.A pro-Pratt TikTok account posted video of the claims from homeless people recorded in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning."It was like two bucks," said one unidentified woman who claimed she was paid $2 to vote for Bass. "Yeah, they come out here all the time," she added.The TikTok creator told the New York Post that he was tipped off by a friend who worked in the area and claimed to have seen political volunteers operating in the neighborhood.One of the men in the video called himself Kevin Shepherd and said he was paid $4 to vote for Bass. He said he negotiated the price up from $2 and that he was also allowed to vote for Raman, but not Pratt."They gave you an optional choice," Shepherd said.Rene Johnson, 39, claimed she was paid $5 to vote for Bass but was unclear about the documents she signed."But, you know, at the time, I didn't know that that was going on," she said. "I was just trying to make five bucks, you know? But I didn't do the fraud."However, an investigation into her claims found that there was no vote under her name from Skid Row, but there was one with that name and age in the nearby Inglewood election, which has a mayor separate from that of Los Angeles. The Post said it was unable to independently verify the claims in the video."Everybody said it was normal," the content creator said to the Post.RELATED: Socialist mayoral candidate is outraged at encampment outside her LA home — it's not what it seems The Justice Dept. said it was investigating accusations of voter fraud in the California elections but noted one claim, that Pratt received no votes in one tranche of ballots, was untrue.California's electoral system was widely mocked after results were delayed far past what is typical in other states. Some pointed to the delays as evidence of fraud, but officials have denied the claims.One report indicated that 185 voters for Raman were registered in a homeless shelter in Venice that had received $600,000 through the efforts of the socialist city councilwoman. Others pointed out that the hundreds of votes in the Skid Row area would not have made much of a difference in the gap between Pratt and Raman. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
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.
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?
