Spencer Pratt may have lost his shot at running Los Angeles, but don’t start playing taps for his political career just yet.
The former reality-TV lightning rod saw his outsider mayoral bid come up short this week after progressive City Council member Nithya Raman snagged a coveted spot in November’s runoff election against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. But while Pratt’s City Hall ambitions hit a wall, one prominent California Republican is already hinting there could be a seat waiting for him elsewhere.
Enter GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton.
The former Fox News personality, who is headed to California’s November governor’s race and has the backing of President Donald Trump, made it clear he was impressed by Pratt’s campaign — and not just because it generated headlines.
Speaking with Fox 11 Los Angeles, Hilton argued that Pratt brought more to the race than viral videos and social-media buzz. “I think that he obviously got a lot of attention with his brilliant campaigning social media dominance. That was great. But actually, he had some really substantive plans as well, particularly on homelessness that I fully support,” Hilton said.
That’s notable praise in a state where homelessness remains one of the defining political failures of the Democratic establishment. California has spent billions trying to tackle the crisis, yet sprawling encampments and public frustration continue to dominate local politics.
Pratt, whose family home was destroyed in the devastating Palisades Fire last year, transformed himself from reality-TV celebrity into one of Mayor Bass’s loudest and most relentless critics. His campaign tapped into voter anger over public safety, homelessness and government competence — issues that have increasingly dogged Democratic leaders across the Golden State.
Even after Pratt’s loss, Hilton suggested the celebrity candidate’s ideas deserve a second look. “They’re very well thought through and I would be very happy for him. You know, whatever I can do to help make that happen, including working with him or not. I’m not going to, you know, rush it. But I do think that, uh, he had some really important things to say,” Hilton said.
When the interviewer cut to the chase and asked whether that meant a job in a future Hilton administration, the Republican didn’t hesitate. “So, in other words, would you bring him into your administration?” the host asked. “Of course, like a shot, my door would be open, but as I say, I don’t want to, you know, he’s probably reflecting on what happened right now,” Hilton replied.
