Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt says death threats during TV fame pushed him to join GOP

Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star, said Thursday that death threats he received during the height of his fame is what pushed him to eventually join the GOP.

Pratt is known for playing a villain for four seasons on the MTV reality show "The Hills," and said the hate he received from the show prompted him and his wife Heidi Montag to get concealed-carry weapon permits. 

“When I was a hated reality star, I got so many death threats –– I had so much security and police, and what did they tell me to do?” Pratt told CNN. “‘Get a gun.’ This is real. I know people don’t like guns, but L.A. was dangerous if you’re hated."

The former reality star said the only people who supported the drastic tactic of purchasing and owning a firearm were Republicans.

“That was what I aligned with, my safety, my personal safety and my family’s safety,” Pratt said. “I know people don’t like guns, but when people are threatening your life and your own security is telling you, you need to have home protection ... it’s not just like I went to the –– [I went] through the proper steps.”

Pratt admitted that he knew the subject was a serious topic for Los Angeles voters but promised to place Los Angeles police officers to protect every school in the city from gun violence.

The candidate also trashed Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who is running for reelection, over her handling of recent fires in the city, and claimed her handling of the natural disasters was what spurred him to enter the race.

Bass has pushed back on the criticisms and touted her successes in lowering homelessness rates in Los Angeles, which has decreased by 17.5 percent under her leadership, according to The Hill.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.