Spencer Pratt surge is much bigger than latest LA mayor poll shows, experts say

Nypost · May 28, 2026 · 507 words · By Jamie Paige

Polling Methodology Mayoral Race Dynamics Digital vs. Traditional Outreach

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What to know about Polling Methodology

A new Los Angeles mayoral poll claiming there’s a dead heat between Mayor Karen Bass, Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman is getting torched by longtime political insiders.

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A new Los Angeles mayoral poll claiming there’s a dead heat between Mayor Karen Bass, Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman is getting torched by longtime political insiders.

Why it matters

The UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times poll released Thursday showed Bass leading with 26% support among likely voters, with Raman close behind at 25% and Pratt surging to 22%.

Common ground

But several veteran Los Angeles political strategists told The California Post the poll misses large portions of the electorate and dramatically understates Pratt’s growing support.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Doubt: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Polling Methodology story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times poll released Thursday showed Bass leading with 26% support among likely voters, with Raman close behind at 25% and Pratt surging to 22%?
How does this story connect Polling Methodology with Mayoral Race Dynamics over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/28/us-news/new-la-mayor-poll-understates-spencer-prat…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Doubt 70% confidence

Questioning the credibility of a source or claim without providing evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing doubt helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 4

check_circle Corroborated 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “The UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times poll released Thursday showed Bass leading with 26% support among likely voters, with Raman close behind at 25% and Pratt surging to 22%.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results from May 28, 2026, confirm a UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times poll showing Mayor Karen Bass at 26% and Spencer Pratt at 22%. While the specific percentage for Raman is not explicitly listed in the snippets, the general context of the poll and the other two figures are consistently reported across multiple sources.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the mayor of Los Angeles, California. A top-two primary was held on June 7, 2022. Candidates could win the election outrigh…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Los_Angeles_mayoral_elect…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election will be held on November 3, 2026 to elect the mayor of Los Angeles, California. A nonpartisan top-two primary was held on June 2, 2026. Incumbent mayor Karen Bass…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_mayoral_elect…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University of California, Berkeley Extension (UC Berkeley Extension) is the continuing education division of the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) campus. Founded in 1891, UC Berkel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UC_Berkeley_Extension

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 2: “He said a properly conducted Los Angeles poll can cost between $45,000 and $50,000”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence discusses the poll results and the political climate, but none of the snippets mention the specific cost of conducting a Los Angeles poll ($45,000 to $50,000).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Battle of Los Angeles, also known as the Great Los Angeles Air Raid, is the name given by contemporary sources to a rumored attack on the continental United States by Imperial Japan and the subseq…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Los_Angeles

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Los Angeles, also known as L.A., is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.87 million re…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “Among them is veteran strategist Rick Taylor, who has spent roughly 50 years inside Los Angeles politics and is not affiliated with any mayoral campaign.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources confirm Rick Taylor's role as a strategist in LA politics and his lack of affiliation with mayoral candidates. One source mentions 'more than 40 years' and another explicitly states he is 'not working for any of the mayoral candidates'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_James

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “According to Taylor, internal political chatter and campaign tracking are showing Bass closer to 32%, Pratt at 30% and Raman lagging at 18%.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the existence of the poll and the 'surge' of Spencer Pratt are corroborated, the specific internal tracking numbers attributed to Rick Taylor (Bass 32%, Pratt 30%, Raman 18%) are not found in the provided evidence snippets.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 1883 is an American Western drama miniseries created by Taylor Sheridan that premiered on December 19, 2021, on Paramount+. The series is chronologically the first of several prequels to Yellowstone (…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_(TV_series)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Spencer William Pratt (born August 14, 1983) is an American reality television personality. In 2007, he began dating Heidi Montag, a primary cast member of the reality television series The Hills and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Pratt

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “As of Thursday, turnout was hovering at just 7% citywide.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results mention a 7% turnout for a different election (August 3, 2021) and a 7% increase in likelihood due to budgeting, but there is no evidence regarding a 7% citywide turnout for the 2026 mayoral primary on a Thursday.

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 3, 2022 · Ranked choice voting was also used for the first time ever in a primary election and voters largely embraced it, with 88.3% of ballots ranking ...
https://www.nyccfb.info/pdf/2021-2022_VoterAnalysisReport.pd…

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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 3, 2021 · Race marred by shooting threat: Police confirm DePena targeted in waning days of election. Vladimir Perez and 8 others. 9 reactions ·.
https://www.facebook.com/lawrencekstimes/posts/voter-turnout…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 28, 2018 · Trust in government is at an all-time low, as only 18% of Americans say they can trust the government to do what is right.
https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/participatory-budgeti…

info

Claim 6: ““As a Trojan, i would never go off a UC Berkeley poll,” Pratt posted.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence confirms that Spencer Pratt is a candidate and that there was a UC Berkeley poll, but the specific quote/post regarding being a 'Trojan' is not present in the search results.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a partial list of notable Brown University alumni, known as Brunonians. It includes alumni of Brown University and Pembroke College, Brown's former women's college. "Class of" is used…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brown_University_alumn…

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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · A new poll shows that Mayor Karen Bass has a slim lead over her opponents — Councilmember Nithya Raman and political newcomer Spencer Pratt ...
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/new-poll-shows-bass-…

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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · A new Los Angeles mayoral poll shows Mayor Karen Bass leading with 26% support among likely voters and Spencer Pratt surging to 22%.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/28/us-news/new-la-mayor-poll-unde…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 7: “California primaries are set for Tuesday, June 2.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The Wikipedia entry for the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election explicitly states that a nonpartisan top-two primary was held on June 2, 2026.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — California (/ ˌkælɪˈfɔːrniə /) is a U.S. state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, and Nevada and Arizona to the east; it also shares an intern…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — CA.gov is the official website for the State of California. You can find and access California services, resources, and more.
https://www.ca.gov/

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web search NEUTRAL — California is a land of breathtaking beauty and diverse landscapes, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Come experience the warmth of the Golden State spirit — where all …
https://www.visitcalifornia.com/

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.