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On one level it was simply one reality star giving another what he considered the ultimate compliment.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday before boarding Air Force One, the president of the United States and former host of “The Apprentice” declared that Spencer Pratt – the villain of MTV’s “The Hills” and current candidate for mayor of America’s second-largest city – is “a big MAGA person” whom he’d “like to see do well.”

Just like that, Pratt’s insurgent meme-filled campaign for Los Angeles mayor, which is giving incumbent Mayor Karen Bass a run for her money in California’s sprawling deep-blue metropolis, took yet another unpredictable turn.

Pratt, a 42-year-old reality TV star who launched his candidacy in January after losing his Pacific Palisades home in the devastating 2025 wildfires, is running as an independent, building his campaign around voter fury at incumbent Bass and her handling of the disaster’s aftermath. He has worked carefully to cast himself as a nonpartisan outsider – “I represent all of Los Angeles,” he has said – even as MAGA-aligned personalities have applauded his combative social-media driven rise.

Trump’s endorsement – or near-endorsement, really, since the president was characteristically vague, saying he assumed Pratt “probably supports me” before veering into a tangent about “rigged” ballots and mail-in voting in California – sent a tremor through the city’s political landscape. The question immediately consuming strategists closely watching the race on both sides of the aisle is whether Trump’s terse praise, however quick and casual, helps or hurts the man it was meant to boost.

Will Trump Blunt Pratt’s Momentum in Deep Blue L.A.?

The city Pratt is running to lead is not fertile ground for Trump’s blessing. Los Angeles County broke for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election by 65% to 32%. The city has not elected a Republican mayor in nearly three decades. And only 18% of registered city voters are Republicans.

Against that backdrop, veteran Democratic strategists were quick to render their verdict.

“A Trump endorsement only helps with Republicans,” Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio told RealClearPolitics. “In Los Angeles, it’s a kiss of death. Pratt might get protest votes in June from Democrats. But when push comes to shove, Los Angeles, with its heavily Latino and black populations and deep blue Democratic base, isn’t going to elect a mayor who is embraced by Trump.”

“And you can be sure that Mayor Bass will do everything she can to remind voters that they are MAGA twins,” he added.

Bass’ campaign didn’t wait long to make exactly that point. Within hours of Trump’s comments, a campaign Bass went on offense.

“No surprises here — both Trump and Pratt want ICE to invade our city and kidnap our neighbors,” she tweeted.

Raman also re-posted a Fox News video of Trump praising Pratt, emphasizing the Trump line, “I heard he’s a big MAGA person.”

Pratt responded with a brief X.com post with a video of him rolling his eyes and mocking Raman during his debate with her and Bass earlier this month.

Garry South, a longtime Democratic political consultant who has worked on major California statewide campaigns, sees a two-act drama playing out – with a very different ending to each.

“The Trump endorsement helped Hilton........

© RealClearPolitics