Two things define Los Angeles today: endless sunshine and the consequences of failed leftist governance.

Under Democratic leadership, Angelenos have watched businesses flee, homelessness surge and taxes climb. The once-dazzling city – home to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Venice Beach – has become a dilapidated mess.

That is why I’m glad to see Republican-turned-independent Spencer Pratt, 42, former star of reality television’s “The Hills,” entering the Los Angeles mayoral race. On April 29, Pratt released a sharp campaign ad that, in just 30 seconds, highlighted the widening gap between Democratic governance and the daily realities many Angelenos face.

Los Angeles has already had years to test one-party rule and has watched the City of Angels lose its halo. It might be time to try something different before the damage becomes irreversible.

LA needs different leadership

Pratt’s video underscores why Angelenos need to try different leadership. Brief, pointed and politically effective, it delivers a gut punch by contrasting Mayor Karen Bass’ Getty House and City Councilmember Nithya Raman’s multimillion dollar home with the city’s homelessness crisis and wildfire devastation.

“They don’t have to live in the mess they’ve created, where you live,” Pratt says, as the camera shifts from a homeless encampment to an Airstream trailer on his burned-down Pacific Palisades property. “I know what the consequences of failed leadership are. ... We........

© USA TODAY