Los Angeles mayoral race intensifies, Spencer Pratt caught lying; new poll focuses on Karen Bass, Nithya Raman
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Platt may have just screwed up. The 42-year-old comes just days after posting a video showing him living in a trailer following the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles, although he himself admitted he didn’t live there. Instead, Pratt stayed at a luxury hotel, where a standard room can cost anywhere from $1,000 to more than $1,700 per night. Prices for the hotel’s higher-end suites can be much higher, including the hotel’s Swan Lake Suite, which reportedly costs more than $8,000 per night.
Why is this a blatant lie?
Platt recently took aim at his opponents Karen Bass and Nithya Rahman, saying his home was destroyed in the Los Angeles fire. In a campaign-style video filmed after his family lost their home, the former TV star stood in front of a trailer and declared: “This is where I live.”
However, Platt later disputed the claim that he actually lived there full-time.
“We asked Spencer if he had ever lived in a trailer and he said no,” TMZ reported Wednesday, adding, “I’ve never told anyone I lived there.” “
Yet in a campaign ad, he stood in front of a trailer and said bluntly: “This is where I live.”
Why Spencer Pratt Doesn’t Live in the Trailer
Platt told the publication that he pulled out of the trailer, which he mentioned frequently in his campaign messaging, due to safety concerns and alleged death threats. Pratt has reportedly been staying at the ultra-luxurious Bel Air Hotel for more than a month.
Platt told TMZ the move was strictly for safety reasons.
“The reality is that the Bastards and the Lamanians are kind of crazy, and since I destroyed them in the debates and soared in the polls, they’ve become increasingly desperate and hostile.”
He added, “I can’t talk about specific threats, but that group of people … are not safe right now.”
Sources cited in the report said Pratt’s wife, Heidi Montag, and their children currently live in Carpinteria, and that the trailer that became part of Pratt’s public narrative is no longer in use.
New Poll: Spencer Platt vs Nithya Raman vs Karen Bass
Meanwhile, an Emerson College Poll/California Politics Insider Survey released on May 13 showed that incumbent Mayor Karen Bass currently leads with 30% of voters. This marks a significant jump from Bath’s 20% in March.
The poll also highlights one of the biggest shifts in the race so far: a sharp drop in undecided voters from 51% in March to 16% in May, suggesting that many residents have finally decided on their preferred candidate.
Bass’s recent momentum has been fueled by a high-profile endorsement from former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Spencer Pratt’s approval ratings surge
While Bass still leads overall, the biggest increase in support goes to Spencer Platt. The poll found Platt’s approval rating climbed to 22% in May from 10% in March, making him one of the biggest surprises in the race.
Meanwhile, Nithya Raman’s approval rating has also risen significantly, rising to 19% in the latest survey from 9% in March.
The three candidates recently shared the stage in a mayoral debate on NBC4 and Telemundo 52, with issues such as homelessness, wildfire recovery and housing policy dominating the discussion.
Other candidates remain far behind the frontrunners
All but three of the major candidates continue to trail significantly in voter support.
Nonprofit executive and entrepreneur Adam Miller has an approval rating of 7% in the latest poll, up slightly from 4% earlier this year.
Rae Chen Huang, a pastor and housing advocate, saw her approval rating rise slightly, from 3% to 4%.
The official list of candidates released by the City Clerk’s Office also includes Bryant Acosta, Asaad Alnajjar, Nelson Cheng, Tish Hyman, Andrew Kim, Suzy Kim, John Logsdon, Juanita Lopez and Andrej A. Selivra. Candidates Griselda Diaz and Misael Ortega are also in the running.
Election day is coming
Los Angeles voters will go to the polls on June 2 to elect a mayor. If no candidate secures an outright majority, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election scheduled for November.
