Los Angeles mayoral primary candidate Spencer Pratt, whose highly effective and inimitable campaign ads often generated national headlines, conceded the race on Friday with the same combative flair that defined his campaign.
As readers may recall, on the morning after the primary, with 63% of ballots counted, Pratt held a commanding 8.1-point lead over City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, 30.4% to 22.3%. He appeared firmly on track to advance to the general election and challenge incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, who finished first.
Yet as the vote counting dragged on, Pratt’s lead not only disappeared but reversed entirely. Raman ultimately claimed the pivotal second-place position, completing a dramatic turnaround that many of us found impossible to reconcile with the initial returns.
Pratt began his monologue, titled “Saving LA – Phase III,” saying he didn’t enter the race for political power, but to:
expose this corrupt machine, and nothing has changed. You enjoy your worthless meetings in City Hall. … I’m gonna be lighting you up every single day, and now I don’t have to worry about offending CNN viewers. I don’t have a campaign loss hamstringing me now. It’s war. It’s zero hour for Los Angeles. Angelenos are now stuck with two morons responsible for all their problems, and they have to choose between dumb and dumber.
He cited the election results as an example of “the machine protecting the machine.”
Pratt painted a dire picture of L.A.’s future, warning that the city will continue to deteriorate no matter which of the “corrupt communists” remaining in the race wins in November.
You have no idea how many major developers, hoteliers, business owners, entrepreneurs have been texting me saying they’re packing up and leaving town. More of your favorite restaurants will be shuttering. That means less tax revenue. That means the city has to cut services. More potholes, less firefighters, less police patrols, more criminals, more drug addicts terrorizing your communities. You have no idea how bad things are about to get for this city.
Most notably, Pratt claimed to have information that, if revealed, could lead to the resignation of one of the remaining candidates after taking office.
“So Karen, Nithia, ask yourself: is it possible that one of your employees may have a recording of you doing or saying something that would force you to resign in disgrace?”
My guess is that he has a recording of Karen Bass that he was planning to use during the general election.
https://x.com/winningatmylife/status/2065490513923604849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
At the end of the video, Pratt declares, “If you want to stop me—” before the footage cuts to an enraged character from the television series Ozark shouting, “You’re gonna have to f***ing kill me!”
Finally, the word “WAR” is splashed across the screen, superimposed on an image of President Theodore Roosevelt laughing.
Well, now we’re flipping the script. I want all of you awake at night, sweating and worried about 5 am, FBI blazers busting the door, breaking open your office, because I assure you they’re coming. You think your election was gonna stop me? “If you want to stop me … you’re gonna have to f***king kill me.
https://x.com/alsnjtfltal/status/2065508123209507102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Love him or hate him, Pratt succeeded in becoming the most memorable figure in the race. Rather than fading quietly into the background, he used his final campaign message to promise an even more aggressive role as a critic of City Hall in the months and years ahead.
Many of us believe that Pratt was robbed of his chance to compete in the general election. He clearly believes that, too. He is justifiably angry, and anger is a powerful emotion.
Here is Pratt’s video in full:
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn.
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