Former reality television star Spencer Pratt is mounting an unlikely campaign for Los Angeles mayor that's drawing support from prominent business leaders frustrated with current city leadership. Pratt, who lost his home in the Palisades wildfire, has positioned his candidacy around reducing bureaucracy and making the city more business-friendly.

An Emerson College poll shows Pratt at 22 percent among voters, up sharply from 10 percent in March. While Mayor Karen Bass maintains a lead at 30 percent, Pratt's surge comes as major donors express dissatisfaction with the city's handling of recent disasters. The billionaire financier Dan Loeb and former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick are among those backing his campaign.

Pratt's debate performance last week appears to have galvanized support from donors including the Winklevoss twins, entertainment mogul Haim Saban, and other tech and finance executives. His campaign has embraced AI-generated social media content to amplify messaging about government inefficiency. The influx of high-profile backing represents a shift in LA politics toward celebrity candidates with substantial financial support.

Despite the donor momentum, Pratt faces historical challenges. No Republican has won LA's mayoral race since 1997, and the Bass campaign previously defeated billionaire Rick Caruso who spent over $100 million in 2022. Political analysts caution that money alone doesn't guarantee electoral victory in Los Angeles's diverse electorate.