Who Is Spencer Pratt? 6 Things to Know About the Reality Star-Turned-Republican Candidate Amid His Los Angeles Mayoral Run

Spencer Pratt is setting his sights on a new role.

The 42-year-old was born on August 13, 1983, in Los Angeles, Calif., to parents William "Skip" Pratt and Janet Pratt. In his memoir, The Guy You Loved To Hate: Confessions From A Reality TV Villain, he opened up about being raised by a "notoriously frugal" father.

"My father was built different, though," he wrote. "Where Grandpa Bill saw limits, Skip saw opportunities. He wasn't just buying into the American dream — he was convinced it was written for him."

According to Spencer, Skip turned selling dental gold into a lucrative side business after learning it was undervalued by 30 percent.

He explained, "Within a month, Dad had unlocked a whole new revenue stream. He'd be up at 5 a.m. driving downtown, pulling up behind Mahmoud's Gold Exchange on Hill Street with a briefcase full of dental gold, then walking out with straight cash. This wasn't just entrepreneurial hustle; Skip was building something larger than a dental practice. Constructing a life that would prove his father's scarcity mindset wrong. Stacking money for a beach house dream and family gold."

Spencer graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in political science — though it took him 10 years to finish his studies.

"Today was my last day of College @USC! Best 10 years of my life! #Trojans," he celebrated on X in December 2013.

He confirmed he was "done with classes" to Us Weekly, adding, "I still have one final, Spanish 3, but thankfully I have two weeks to study for it. My degree is going to be in political science."

Spencer said it was a decade-long in the making because he was "busy being famous."

"USC was so much fun, though, and you can never learn enough. Of course, I should probably have a doctorate or two at this point, but I'll take it," he continued.

He also uploaded a copy of his diploma on Instagram in April amid his mayoral run, writing, "Who knew my Political Science degree from USC would come in handy…"

Spencer began his TV career in the short-lived show The Princess of Malibu. He was soon tapped to become the villain in the hit reality TV series The Hills, which ran from 2006 to 2010.

He extended his presence in the industry through Marriage Boot Camp, I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here and The Hills: New Beginnings, among others.

Spencer met his future wife, Heidi Montag, at a nightclub in 2006. They tied the knot during a 2008 trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and held a second ceremony at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, Calif., on April 25, 2009.

Their union hit rock bottom when they filed for separation in June 2010, with Heidi filing for divorce in July of the same year.

The split was short-lived, as Spencer and Heidi sparked reconciliation rumors following an outing in Costa Rica. After officially calling off the divorce, they renewed their wedding vows at a beachfront house in Carpinteria, Calif., in November 2010.

They share two children: Gunner Stone, born in 2017, and Ryker, born in November 2022.

In January 2025, Spencer and Heidi's family home was destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires.

The patriarch uploaded a TikTok video showing flames reaching their property before it was reduced to rubble, writing in the caption, "Nightmare came true."

The devastating Pacific Palisades Fire later became a driving force behind Spencer's mayoral run in Los Angeles.

During the "They Let Us Burn!" protest on January 7, the Republican announced his bid for mayor as part of his "mission."

"The system in Los Angeles isn't struggling, it's fundamentally broken," he told the crowd. "It is a machine designed to protect the people at the top and the friends they exchange favors with while the rest of us drown in toxic smoke and ash. Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles, and I'm done waiting for someone to take real action. That's why I am running for mayor."

Later that day, he uploaded a photo of himself completing the campaign paperwork.

"Yes, it's official. Papers are filed and campaign is open: mayorpratt.com," he captioned the post.

In an interview published on May 20, President Donald Trump officially endorsed Spencer after learning he is a "big MAGA person."

"I'd like to see him do well. He's a character. I don't know him, I assume he probably supports me," the POTUS told a reporter. "I heard he does. I heard he's a big MAGA person. He's doing well."

According to Los Angeles mayoral election polls compiled by The New York Times, Spencer holds an average of 13 percent support, placing him just behind Democratic incumbent Karen Bass.