Full Breakdown
Spencer Pratt Leads in Campaign Contributions in 2026 Los Angeles Mayoral Race
5/24/2026, 4:23:25 AM
Core Funding Lead
In the April 19-May 16 filing, former reality-TV star Spencer Pratt reported $2.72 million raised, taking his total to $3.26 million—about ten times the $283,000 raised by incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the same period and surpassing Bass’s cumulative $3.13 million. Pratt’s cash-on-hand of $1.42 million also exceeds Bass’s $1.32 million.
Background & Context
The race is officially nonpartisan. If no candidate wins a majority in the upcoming primary, the top two vote-getters will face a November 3 runoff. Candidates include incumbent Mayor Bass, councilmember Nithya Raman, tech entrepreneur Adam Miller, community organizer Rae Huang and city engineer Asaad Alnajjar.
Candidate Funding Snapshot
Pratt’s contributions total $3.26 million; he has spent $2.39 million and allocated $500,000 to digital ads and billboards. Bass raised $3.13 million, spent $3.66 million and secured $1 million in public matching funds. Raman collected $931,000, spent $1.52 million and received the maximum $1.26 million in matching funds. Miller contributed $276,000 and loaned $4 million to his campaign. Sokoloff raised over $1 million and benefited from a $5 million independent expenditure by his mother Sheryl. Mejia reported under $150,000 in contributions and secured over $400,000 in matching funds.
Data & Statistics
Pratt’s unitemized donations (< $100) total $671,000, far exceeding Raman’s $24,000 and Bass’s $2,900. Both Pratt and Bass each attracted roughly $940,000 from out-of-state donors, part of a $2.26 million interstate flow. California-addressed donors comprise 67 % of Pratt’s base, 84 % of Bass’s and 86 % of Raman’s. County-level contributions total $2.29 million for Bass, $1.1 million for Pratt and over $731,000 for Raman.
Official Statements & Responses
Political consultant Mike Murphy, former chief advisor to former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, said Pratt’s cash reserves could give him a media edge if spent now. He questioned why Pratt has not yet deployed the funds, noting the clock is ticking.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics note Pratt’s Republican registration in a heavily Democratic city and question whether his out-of-state and unitemized funding reflects genuine local support.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Finance filings do not reveal the origins of Pratt’s $671,000 of sub-$100 donations, leaving the donor base unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If he takes a million bucks of that money or a million-five and spends it on media, digital, TV, cable, even some linear TV, I think that could give him a real edge to get into a runoff with Bass,” — Mike Murphy, political consultant
- “But I’m curious why he hasn’t done that a week ago, because the clock is ticking.” — Mike Murphy, political consultant
- “The Pratt hype might be bigger than the Pratt support with voters in the city of L.A.,” — Mike Murphy, political consultant
What’s Next
The upcoming primary will decide whether a November 3 runoff is needed. The campaign-finance filing deadline was May 16, after which the final contribution totals will be set.
