Washington Examiner columnist Guy Benson criticized Los Angeles and expressed cautious optimism about independent candidate Spencer Pratt’s mayoral bid.
“Not to douse the hope with cold water, the two remaining candidates are both left and lefter,” Benson said on Fox Business’s The Evening Edit Monday.
Pratt is facing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, both Democrats, in the primary election.
Host Elizabeth MacDonald said Pratt is narrowly leading in a California Post poll.
Benson said a first-place win for Pratt would be great for his campaign, but that the chances are narrow.
He argued that “the idea that a bunch of communists and socialists are all of a sudden going to jump and vote for Spencer Pratt” in November’s general election, if he makes it that far, is unlikely.
“I think the likelihood is a consolidation of those two electorates, those two bases, which would make it difficult for a non-Democrat, someone not associated with team blue, to win in a city that [is] blue,” Benson said.
“I don’t want to be the harbinger of bad news, I’m not saying that it’s completely unwinnable.”
Pratt’s campaign for mayor has grown immensely over the past few weeks. His AI-generated ads blend pop culture and sarcasm with the conditions people in the city face.
In one video, Pratt is portrayed as Batman, protecting the city from the Joker, who is portrayed as Bass.
Bass even commented on the ad, calling it “violent.”
In another AI video, Pratt highlighted a “Pratt summer.” He emphasized key problems in the city, then showcased young people at a festival with branding pulled from Charli XCX’s viral brat album.
While not made with AI, Pratt created another video channeling The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, writing his own lyrics to the show’s iconic theme song to embrace criticisms of his living situation.
He even captured the attention of President Donald Trump, who said, “I’d like to see him do well.”
Turning Point CEO Erika Kirk also commented on Pratt’s campaign, calling him “authentically American.”
Podcaster Joe Rogan said Pratt’s ideas “are good,” and comedian Tom Segura said he thinks Pratt “has a chance.”
Still, Benson is wary about Pratt moving forward.
SPENCER PRATT WILL ENFORCE ‘LAWS DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR’ AS LOS ANGELES MAYOR
“You’ve got the consolidation issue on the Left, where that’s going to be an awful lot of people in a city where a lot of voters seem to be addicted to failure,” Benson said.
The primary election will be held on June 2.