Good morning, it's Friday, May 22. For the start of this three-day weekend, you can expect a partly cloudy morning and, except for the coast, crisp sunshine for most of the day, in the mid to high 70s.
Spencer Pratt’s mayoral campaign is attracting Democrats, but many are not broadcasting their support.
Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt hosts a campaign "block party" event on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In a city where only 15% of voters identify as Republican, many political commentators thought that Republican reality-star Spencer Pratt didn’t stand a chance.
But with less than two weeks until the June 2 primary, Pratt is surging in the polls, and key to his popularity are Democratic and independent voters who — out of desperation, fury or frustration — said they are casting their ballot for Pratt.
Just don't expect them to advertise their preference, as L.A. Material's Matt Hamilton discovered when he talked to Pratt voters of all stripes across the city.
“There're little, secret groups that are forming,” said a Los Feliz screenwriter who is a registered Democrat and is backing Pratt — “but I wouldn’t announce it if I was with a group of seven people eating out for dinner.”
READING MATERIAL
BIG MONEY: L.A. City Council voted Thursday to approve Mayor Bass’ $15 billion budget. Westside Councilmember Traci Park cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the budget isn’t making enough investment in the fire department and cuts the number of homeless encampment cleanups in her district, the L.A. Times reports.
PRATT PROFILES: With less than two weeks to election day, the profiles of Spencer Pratt are arriving. WSJ tracked his arc from reality TV villain to insurgent candidate. LAT reported on the brash and confrontational candidate’s rise from a childhood in West L.A. (Crossroads to USC) and journey to City Hall critic. Not quite a profile, but NYT covered how Pratt is punching through: fan AI videos.
MEET THE ANIMAL WELFARE VOTERS: In case you missed it, L.A. Material’s Antonia Cereijido went deep on the voters for whom the suffering of animals trumps concerns about crime, housing, or traffic. None of the candidates have courted the animal vote more than Pratt and this election cycle is stirring tension across the animal welfare community.
STREETLIGHT VOTE: If you own property in L.A., you received another ballot in the mail that also has an Election Day deadline. This is the separate vote on whether to pay more for streetlight repairs, and LAist has an overview on why this is happening (and what it could cost you).
MANSION TAX REFORM? The Wall Street Journal looks at whether the tax on properties above $5.3 million — passed by voters in 2022 — has worsened the housing shortage in L.A. “There have been some unintended consequences,” acknowledges Miguel Santana, head of the California Community Foundation, which supported the measure way back when.
INSURANCE HIKE: California’s insurer of last resort, the FAIR Plan, announced that rates will increase nearly 30% for some homeowners starting this fall, with highest increases for those in areas most vulnerable to wildfire.
MICHELIN ADDITIONS: Eleven L.A.-area restaurants have been added to the California Michelin Guide, along with spots in Santa Barbara and Palm Springs. Sonoratown made the cut, as did Casa Leo in Los Feliz and the Mulberry in Sawtelle.
ANSWERING YOUR ELECTIONS Q’S: We’ll publish a non-partisan ballot decoder late next week for L.A. Material subscribers, with answers to reader questions. Submit a question here.
WEEKEND MATERIAL
PRIDE COMMENCES: The City of West Hollywood is kicking off Pride celebrations with Harvey Milk Day on Friday with a drag pageant.
MUSIC OF THE MIND: Yoko Ono’s first solo museum exhibition opens this Saturday at The Broad in downtown L.A.
HOT MILLENNIAL TICKET: Bright Eyes is celebrating the 21st anniversary of its albums “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” and “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn” by playing both in their entirety on Saturday night at the Hollywood Bowl.
SEA MEN (& WOMEN): Fleet Week continues this weekend in San Pedro.
CANYON WOODSTOCK: The Topanga Days festival this weekend will bring music, food and vibes at the Topanga Community Center.
RAW MATERIAL
For today’s peek inside our subscriber-only Discord server, @notkramersboat has a new addition in #vanityplates.
AND FINALLY… A poem to pair with your morning coffee: "I was Trying to Describe You to Someone" by Richard Brautigan.
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