“I’d like to see him do well,” President Trump says about Spencer Pratt’s campaign for LA mayor

President Trump appeared to back Spencer Pratt’s campaign for Los Angeles mayor, saying he’d like to see the political newcomer “do well” in the upcoming election.

“I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character. I don’t know him. I assume he probably supports me,” Trump said on Wednesday. “I hear he does. I heard he’s a big MAGA person. He’s doing well.”

With the primary election in two weeks, Pratt has strayed away from party labels, but experts like Sara Sadhwani believe this “reinforces his Republican roots.”

“No doubt Spencer Pratt has, not tried to distance himself, but tried to show that he has something else to share with voters beyond just some MAGA talking points,” said Sadhwani, a professor of politics at Pomona College. “This reinforces his Republican roots.”

GOP campaign consultant Mike Madrid said Trump’s pseudo-endorsement may do little to help Pratt’s campaign. 

“Donald Trump is not a positive for him in the city of Los Angeles,” Madrid said. “The Republican base, as it exists, is about 20% of the voters in the city of Los Angeles, which is a long way to go to be competitive.”

Councilmember and candidate for mayor Nithya Raman pounced on Trump backing Pratt, posting a clip of the president calling Pratt “a big MAGA person.”

Pratt’s opponents, Raman and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, have accused Pratt of using the MAGA playbook to boost his campaign.  

Pratt responded on social media with a GIF of himself during a recent debate that appeared to mock Raman’s post.

“No doubt this is Nithya Raman’s favorite moment,” Sadhwani said. “Even a half endorsement from Trump, which seems like this is what it is, doesn’t really serve him very well in the city of Los Angeles.”

Recent polls show that it’s unlikely any candidate will win more than 50% of the vote in the June primary, which means there’s likely to be a runoff in November. Campaign strategists said it’s likely Bass would prefer to face Pratt in a runoff because of LA’s deep blue electorate.

“She wants to run against Spencer Pratt, the math and the evidence suggest that’s the right strategy and that seems to be what the race is shaping up to be,” Madrid said. 

CBS LA reached out to Pratt’s campaign about Trump’s comments but has not heard back.