In the lead-up to the country's 250th birthday celebration, America has been riveted by two elections in the state of California: the race for governor and for the mayor of Los Angeles. Ever since Democrat and former congressman Eric Swalwell was forced to withdraw because of sex scandals, Republican Steve Hilton has been a surprise favorite to win in a state that hasn't elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected to a second term in 2006. (And Schwarzenegger was hardly a conservative.)

In Los Angeles, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt has upended the mayor's race with blisteringly creative ads and relentless attacks on the competency of Mayor Karen Bass, who slashed $17 million from the LA Fire Department's budget and left the city's main water reservoirs empty. When arson caused wildfires in January 2025, they blazed out of control, killing dozens of people and destroying thousands of homes in the Pacific Palisades - including Pratt's.

Pratt has generated nationwide buzz and widespread public support in the City of Angels, especially among women, the working class and minority residents, by promising to clean up the homelessness problem, stop the distribution of needles and open drug use in the city, strengthen law enforcement to reduce crime, and provide firefighters and other first responders with the resources they need.

California has a "jungle primary" system, where the top two candidates advance to the November general election. But in typical blue-state fashion, what looked to be the final results on Election Night may well be thwarted in the days and........

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