Woke ad attacking LA mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt backfires by making him sound MORE desirable to ordinary voters

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:49, 11 May 2026 | Updated: 13:55, 11 May 2026 A woke attack ad aimed at Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt was mocked for serving as an unwitting endorsement for the former reality star.  The ad released by the LA County Federation of Labor went viral on social media as it tried to criticized Pratt's supposed hardline stances on homelessness, policing and union power - even though many voters will find them sensible.  'Republican Spencer Pratt is the last thing Los Angeles needs for mayor,' the advert says.  'Pratt opposes using taxpayer money to build brand new houses for unhoused neighbors, saying it's time for the homeless to get help or get out.'  Despite Los Angeles's issues with widespread crime and open-air drug taking, the ad also appeared to believe voters would be turned away by Pratt's vow to step up policing across the city.  'Pratt thinks L.A. needs thousands more police officers rather than more social workers,' the ad said. It added: 'Republican Spencer Pratt thinks public employee unions should have less power, not more... LA is on the right track and needs to stay the course. Vote no on Republican Spencer Pratt.'  The attack ad was ridiculed as many argued the messaging could help the ex-The Hills star's campaign, which has surged in recent days following a breakout debate against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and hard-left rival Nithya Raman last week.   A woke attack ad aimed at Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt was mocked for appearing more as an endorsement for the former reality star (seen with his two children and wife Heidi Montag)  The ad, released by the LA County Federation of Labor, said Pratt is the 'last thing Los Angeles needs for mayor' - but many argued it appeared more like an endorsement  According to Los Angeles Ethics Commission filings, the ad was funded by an independent committee called 'LA Unions Opposed to Spencer Pratt for Mayor 2026.'  The group shelled out $221,000 on the advert, filings showed, even as many said it could end up helping Pratt before Los Angeles voters go to the polls on June 2. Texas Senator Ted Cruz led the mockery of the ad, writing in an X post: 'This attack ad could well elect Pratt.'  'I don't think I've ever seen an attack ad that comes across as an endorsement like this one,' another critic said on X.  The Daily Mail has contacted Pratt's campaign and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor for comment.  It comes as Pratt's candidacy has gained traction with just weeks to go before June 2 election day.  At a debate last week, Pratt saw his chances of winning the election skyrocket after multiple breakout moments.  In one jibe that reportedly left Raman raging at a reporter following the debate, Pratt blasted her as a 'random city council member' and said she was a 'failure.'   Texas Senator Ted Cruz led the mockery of the ad Despite Los Angeles's issues with widespread crime and open-air drug taking, the ad also appeared to believe voters would be turned away by Pratt's vow to step up policing across the city. The ad also attempted to criticize Pratt's hardline policies around LA's homelessness issues The attack ad was ridiculed as many argued the messaging could help the ex-The Hills star's campaign Pratt was widely seen as the victor in the debate, with 79 percent of viewers telling NBC that they believed he won the night over Bass and Raman.  As part of his hardline platform against Los Angeles' social issues, Pratt recently unveiled plans to implement a three-week 'grace period' to warn criminals, drug users and homeless people to leave the city before he takes action.  Speaking on the All In podcast to hammer home his message that the city of angels is 'worth saving,' he suggested that his mayoralty will begin with a brief reprieve for those committing crimes and the homeless. 'My plan, the first three weeks, signs up across the city: no more nakedness, no more drug use, no more robbing, no worse, no more dog abuse,' he said. He says that his team will then go around and warn everyone that 'you got three more weeks of this, clock's ticking.' Pratt believes this will show those propagating crime in the city that 'there's a mayor in town' and even make some of the troublemakers leave. 'After that, once we start enforcing the laws: boom! Streets will be back,' he promised. He also suggested that he would bring in the Centers for Disease Control to wade out the 'medieval diseases' living in LA's homeless encampments. Are voters becoming more open to celebrity politicians - or does fame make serious leadership harder to trust? What's your view? Pratt's $3.8 million family home was burned in the Palisades fire in January 2025  Prediction markets now give Pratt a real chance at toppling incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (left) and city council member Nithya Raman (right)  Pratt launched his campaign after becoming a vocal critic of Bass's tenure as mayor, in particular after his $3.8 million home burned down in the LA wildfires in January last year.  Although he registered as a Republican for the election, Pratt said his campaign is not centered on party affiliation, as he has also made fixing Los Angeles' issues with homelessness and drug use central to his candidacy. Recent polls show Pratt making gains before voters head to the polls on June 2, with the election heading to a runoff on November 3 if no candidate wins over 50 percent of the vote. Pratt, who is married to fellow reality star Heidi Montag, registered at 14 percent support in a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll last month, coming behind Bass at 25 percent and Raman at 17 percent. The debate on Wednesday appeared to only strengthen Pratt in the eyes of many, as pundits said the reality TV star came across as slick and no-nonsense compared to his competitors. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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