Celebrities, political power brokers, business leaders and community activists packed a West Los Angeles restaurant Tuesday night to rally behind Spencer Pratt.
Entry into Pratt’s election night watch party at Don Antonio’s Mexican restaurant was the most sought-gathering in Los Angeles after his surge into second spot behind Mayor Karen Bass, forcing a likely November runoff between the pair..
The guest list ranged from Los Angeles District Attorney David Hochman and former LAPD chief Charlie Beck to prominent business leaders and Hollywood stars such as Jenny McCarthy, Adam Carolla and dancer Valentin Chmerkovsyiy.
Music industry legend David Foster was there, as was Hot Mics host Billy Bush, as well as Brodie Jenner and Justine Bateman.
The creator behind the now-iconic AI-generated campaign anthem and music video, “Saca la Basura,” for Spencer Pratt’s 2026 mayoral campaign, Adrian Alvarez, was also in attendance as well as AI creators Charlie Curran and Alex Leibow, who were said to have met one another in person for the first time.
Attendees said the night felt notably different from a traditional political event.
Supporters watched election returns on a giant LED screen while a DJ played music as vote totals rolled in. There were no TVs and few politicians.
At one point shortly before 9 p.m., partygoers said cheers erupted when new returns showed Pratt narrowing what had earlier been a larger gap with Mayor Karen Bass.
“They would refresh the numbers and we’d watch as the gap narrowed,” one attendee said.
Fox commentator and physician Houman David Hemmati said the gathering felt unlike any campaign event he had attended.
“It was more like a birthday party than a political rally,” Hemmati said. “There were no TVs, no screaming and no speeches besides one from Spencer.”
Instead, Hemmati said, the room was filled with many of the people who helped build Pratt’s unconventional campaign from behind the scenes.
“The crowd was interesting,” Hemmati said. “All the guys who made his AI videos and had never met each other before were there. People the public wouldn’t know, but people Spencer trusted from the start and who gave him advice throughout the campaign.”
Hemmati said Pratt spent much of the evening moving quietly through the crowd.
“Spencer was going around thanking everyone for helping,” he said.
The absence of reporters inside the event was also intentional, according to Hemmati.
“The media wasn’t allowed because he wants to distance himself from being seen as a traditional politician,” he said.
For many attendees, Pratt’s candidacy has evolved well beyond his reality television roots.
“You can’t put him in a box,” Bush told The California Post. “People stay in that reality-TV box. Why can’t Spencer Pratt evolve?”
Bush said Pratt appeared noticeably different from the public persona many people know from television.
“He projects confidence,” Bush said. “He’s very focused, very serious. He’ll always have a good sense of humor, but he’s not messing around. He’s not doing this as a stunt or I wouldn’t have voted for him.”
Former California State Senate candidate Nico Ruderman said the energy inside the restaurant was what stood out most.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Ruderman said. “There were bigger-name celebrities there, but what really stood out was the energy in the room. It felt electric. People are genuinely excited.”
Ruderman said many supporters see Pratt as channeling frustrations shared by residents across Los Angeles.
“The city is a mess,” Ruderman said. “When I went into politics it was because I was let down. The entire city is let down by Bass in many ways.”
Ruderman said Pratt’s appeal comes from the fact that he shares many of those frustrations.
“A lot of people aren’t getting this,” Ruderman said. “He’s somebody who looked around and said things are screwed up and he’s at his wit’s end. He’s capturing the frustration everyone has.”
Longtime friend and founder of DWE Talent, David Weintraub, said Pratt’s loss of his Pacific Palisades home during January’s devastating wildfire changed him.
“Spencer is my longtime friend of 20 years,” Weintraub said. “We came up together in the entertainment business. We’re both parents now.”
Weintraub said many in the room felt connected by a shared sense that Los Angeles has changed.
“It’s not what we once knew,” he said. “We’re fighting for our kids now.”
He described Pratt’s political rise as deeply tied to the personal losses he experienced following the fire.
“This is something he was forced to do,” Weintraub said. “When you lose everything, you have nothing left but survival mode. His survival mode became hope and change.”
Unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary show Bass leading the field with 34.8% of the vote, Pratt with 30.4% and Raman at 22.3%. Results are expected to trickle in over the next few days, or even weeks.
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