Spencer Pratt compares himself to Obama in bizarre defence as he runs for LA mayor
Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt is running as a Republican to become Mayor of Los Angeles, but his political inspiration comes from a seemingly unlikely source.
He has formally rejected being labelled as a 'MAGA Republican' and has suggested that he is not backed by any any political party, but will instead "represent all of Los Angeles".
Pratt was known for playing the villain role when he featured on early 2000s reality TV show The Hills, but ventured into politics after his home was destroyed in the devastating L.A. wildfires last year.
He is hoping to unseat Incumbent Karen Bass in the election which takes place on 2 June later this year. Bass was widely criticised for her response to the fires, which by her own admission, were 'botched'.
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Who inspired Spencer Pratt to get into politics?
Pratt, who is a registered Republican, has compared his journey into politics with a very famous Democrat from Illinois named Barack Obama.
Speaking to NBC Los Angeles last week, he compared their journey.
“I have two awards from my community, President Obama actually didn’t even have awards when he was a community organizer,” he said.
“He was able to become a senator and then a president for eight years. So, I feel like him and I have the same experience.”
He added in a later interview with CBS News that Obama had "no experience of running the whole entire country" before he became president.
Who is running to be Los Angeles mayor?
Pratt is now in a three horse raise to become the Los Angeles leader, with incumbent mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman both hotly tipped to be serious contenders for the role.
The three have exchanged some heated words, with Raman calling Pratt a 'MAGA Republican'. Pratt was quick to rebuff the accusation.
He said: “I represent all of Los Angeles. I do not represent a party.
"I don’t have a campaign manager. I don’t have campaign consultants. There’s no political party backing me.”
Speaking in a later interview with CBS News, he added that all of his supporters in Los Angeles were Democrats and that "everyone I know, my family, are all Democrats."
He went on to share his confidence that he would not only win next month's election, but get more than half of the votes in the city.
What percentage of the vote does a mayoral candidate need to win Los Angeles?
Los Angeles city and county election laws allow any political candidate to take office if they get more than half of the votes at the primary stage.
If this doesn't happen, the top two move forward to a general election, which will take place in November.
"I just want to fix our streets, get the lights on. I want people to feel safe"
Pratt said to CBS News that his key to victory was not playing partisan politics, and instead aiming to united the people of Los Angeles with their common problems.
He said: “I’m probably going to win with 51 percent on 2 June , because I don’t do a political message.
“I don’t do national politics. I don’t do tribal politics. I don’t talk about other states. I’m localized. I just want to fix our streets, get the lights on. I want people to feel safe.
Topics: Los Angeles, Politics, US News
Thomas Bamford