The primary election is less than three weeks away, and California's gubernatorial and mayoral races have taken a fiery turn. Candidates are sparring on debate stages, issuing statements targeting opponents' missteps, and engaging in social media jabs to sway voters.
Reality TV Star vs. LA Mayor
Spencer Pratt, a former MTV reality-TV star who lost his home in the Palisades fire, has made a populist pitch to Angelenos unhappy with Mayor Karen Bass's leadership. Pratt has cast himself as the anti-establishment antidote to the city's problems, characterizing Los Angeles as lawless and rebuking Bass's efforts on homelessness and wildfire recovery.
In a recent post on X, Pratt accused Bass of paying "street ops ... to keep addicts high so her NGO friends can continue to profit off their misery." He did not provide evidence. Pratt also leveled personal attacks in a video claiming to be at Bass's and candidate Nithya Raman's homes, insinuating they enjoyed comfortable lives while others suffered. However, TMZ reported Pratt has been staying at a five-star hotel in Bel Air, not in the trailer he featured in the video. Pratt gave conflicting answers about his residence, citing security concerns.
Corruption Allegations in Governor's Race
In the governor's race, Katie Porter suggested without evidence that legal trouble may await Xavier Becerra, the former US secretary of health and human services. His former adviser, Dana Williamson, pleaded guilty to corruption and fraud charges for skimming $225,000 from an inactive campaign account. Becerra has denied wrongdoing, but the claims gained traction after Williamson's court admission.
During a debate, Steve Hilton told Becerra, "You shouldn't be in this race. You should be preparing your criminal defense." Tom Steyer echoed, "Democrats cannot afford to wake up on June 3 and discover we've got a criminal on our hands." Becerra countered that the US attorney has said no candidate has been implicated. Steyer also pressed Becerra over a viral interview where he asked a reporter, "This is not a gotcha piece, right?"
Billionaire's Working-Class Credentials Questioned
Tom Steyer, a billionaire philanthropist, continues to face skepticism about his ability to relate to the cost-of-living crisis. His campaign has spent roughly $132 million, largely self-funded. Critics question how a billionaire can champion working-class interests. Porter described him as "a billionaire who got rich off polluters and ICE prisons." Becerra posted a video alluding to Steyer's ad spending, urging voters to "put an end to the Tom Steyer ads."
Steve Hilton's Taco Gaffe
Steve Hilton, the leading Republican candidate endorsed by Trump, faced backlash for saying he got a "street taco" from Del Taco. Rivals Chad Bianco and Antonio Villaraigosa filmed themselves eating soft tortilla tacos from authentic taquerias. Bianco took a thinly veiled shot at Hilton's British origins, saying he was eating tacos in honor of Hilton's fifth anniversary of US citizenship.
