Reality television star Spencer Pratt has launched a campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, promising to “expose the system”.
His longshot bid for city hall comes on the anniversary of a wildfire that destroyed his home and became one of the most destructive California fires on record.
Pratt, 42, made the announcement while speaking at a “They Let Us Burn” rally organized by residents who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire.
The protest marks one year since the Pacific Palisades fire broke out on January 7, 2025, devastating the affluent coastal community nestled between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Another fire, the Eaton Fire, broke out a few hours later on the other side of the city. In total, 31 people died and more than 16,000 homes and businesses were destroyed.
Pratt posted photos on his Instagram page showing him signing what appeared to be official campaign paperwork, though his filing was not yet official.
“Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles,” he said at Wednesday’s demonstration, “and I’m done waiting for someone to take real action. That’s why I’m running for mayor.
“But let me be clear, this is not a campaign. This is a mission, and we will expose the system.
“We’re going to go into every dark corner of LA politics and disinfect the city with our light.”
He and his wife, former reality TV star Heidi Montag, lost their Pacific Palisades home in a fire.
Pratt has since emerged as a vocal critic of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom over their handling of the disaster.
Pratt rose to fame in the mid-2000s as a cast member on MTV’s Laguna Beach spin-off The Hills, where her relationship with Montag became central to the storyline.
The couple married in 2008 and have two children.
They later appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here and the UK edition of Celebrity Big Brother.
Despite his popularity, Pratt is a first-time candidate facing high odds in a crowded June non-partisan mayoral primary.
Bass, who won the mayoralty in 2022 after defeating real estate developer Rick Caruso, is seeking re-election.
More than a dozen other candidates entered the race.