Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star, is running for mayor of Los Angeles, promising to tackle disorder and dysfunction in the city. Pratt, a Republican, is gaining attention with viral videos and a populist appeal, despite being a long shot in a heavily Democratic city. He is running against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, who is struggling to recover from a widely panned response to devastating wildfires last year. Pratt’s campaign is focused on day-to-day concerns and leans on visceral imagery of drug use and homeless encampments.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds familiar.
Spencer Pratt is using his reality TV background to generate buzz and entertainment in his mayoral campaign. He is playing on the most powerful emotion, which is anger, and LA voters are angry right now. Pratt’s campaign is effectively parlaying his celebrity into attention, but he will eventually have to face the stark reality of being a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic city. Pratt’s strategy is to turn the chatter into a ticket to a November runoff against Bass. He is advocating a hard line against homelessness and pledges to eliminate encampments and pursue criminal investigations of nonprofit organizations that serve people living on the streets.
As crazy as this will sound, Pratt is the adult in the room.
Author: Evan Null
