Overview
- Pratt, a former reality star who announced his bid in January 2026 after losing his Pacific Palisades home, has vaulted into a plausible second-place position in some polls by converting viral videos and celebrity amplification into late fundraising that included roughly $2.7 million raised in a short window.
- The contest grew more personal when comedian Drew Carey on Monday publicly called Pratt a “serial scammer” and urged voters to back other candidates, a high-profile rebuke replicated across multiple entertainment outlets.
- Pratt pushed back on Monday by posting material from the Jeffrey Epstein files to suggest links between critics and Epstein-related records, a tactic that intensified criticism of his campaign's messaging.
- On Tuesday Pratt filed a formal election-law complaint accusing Mayor Karen Bass of illegal electioneering after a campaign video showed supporters near a drop box, a charge Bass's campaign rejects while saying the footage was shot at separate locations and that no signs were within 100 feet of a box.
- With June 2 just days away the race remains volatile because a large undecided bloc, party‑crossing endorsements from figures such as President Trump and Joe Rogan, and disputed claims about Pratt's residency and reality‑TV ties could determine whether Bass wins outright or faces a November runoff.