A union-funded political ad targeting Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is generating major backlash online — and not exactly in the way its creators probably hoped.
The advertisement, which has been circulating heavily on X, attempts to paint Pratt as too conservative for Los Angeles by attacking his positions on homelessness, policing, and public employee unions. But many critics quickly pointed out that the ad may have accidentally highlighted the exact issues frustrated voters care about most. Tough break.
In the video, the narrator warns voters that “Republican Spencer Pratt is the last thing Los Angeles needs for mayor,” before listing several of his positions. Among them, Pratt reportedly opposes spending taxpayer money on building new housing projects for homeless individuals and instead believes it is time for the homeless to “get help or get out.”
The ad also criticizes Pratt for supporting the hiring of thousands of additional police officers instead of prioritizing more social workers. On top of that, it attacks him for believing public employee unions should have less political power.
The closing line insists that “L.A. is on the right track and needs to stay the course.” That message alone triggered mockery online, with many observers sarcastically noting that Los Angeles residents are already dealing with rising homelessness, crime concerns, and growing frustration over city management. Saying the city is “on the right track” may not exactly be the winning slogan they thought it was.
For many voters, the ad ended up sounding less like a warning and more like a campaign commercial for Pratt. Calls for stronger policing, accountability on homelessness, and reducing union influence have gained traction among Americans tired of seeing major cities spiral deeper into dysfunction while politicians pretend everything is fine.
Whether Pratt ultimately benefits politically remains to be seen, but the reaction online shows one thing clearly: voters are increasingly skeptical of establishment messaging, especially when the attacks accidentally reinforce the exact policies many people already support.