Celebrities Pitch in for Los Angeles Mayoral Race

In the race to become mayor of Los Angeles, a handful of well‑known figures have stepped up with sizable donations. The Weekend Update host from “Saturday Night Live, ” Colin Jost, gave the top legal limit of $1, 800 to councilmember Nithya Raman. Former MLB star Dave Winfield pledged the same amount to Mayor Karen Bass, while Lakers owner Jeanie Buss supported reality‑TV star Spencer Pratt. Los Angeles is a hub for film, music and sports, so the presence of Hollywood and athletic personalities in local politics is not surprising. Yet the timing of these contributions—just before the June 2 primary—suggests a strategic push to influence voters in a short window. Political analyst Mike Trujillo notes that celebrity support often takes longer to materialize, so the recent influx may be a sign of increasing interest if no candidate secures an outright majority. The city has seen earlier big‑name backing. In 2022, director Steven Spielberg donated $1, 500 to Bass’s campaign and a hefty sum to an affiliated group. Renowned filmmaker J. J. Abrams and animation mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg also contributed large amounts to the same coalition, showing that high‑profile philanthropy is a long‑standing feature of LA politics.Other donors from the sports world joined in. Brian McCourt, son of former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and head of the local marathon foundation, gave the maximum to Bass. Magic Johnson’s son, Andre Johnson, also matched that contribution. Additional backers included actors from popular TV shows and the wife of a celebrated actor. Councilmember Raman, meanwhile, attracted funds from Hollywood writers, producers and performers. Her spouse is a writer for well‑known sitcoms, and she received top‑tier donations from a comedian and a musician’s spouse. Spencer Pratt, the most recent candidate to file for office, has raised nearly $540, 000 since January, surpassing all other contenders. A significant portion of his funds came from small, unitemized gifts below $100, a pattern not seen in other campaigns. Among those listed were contributions from a poker player linked to a famous scandal and his daughter, a social media influencer. Two other challengers—tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and community activist Rae Huang—have each raised over $200, 000, though their donors are less recognizable. The influx of celebrity money underscores the high stakes and competitive nature of the upcoming mayoral contest, hinting that future rounds may see even more prominent names stepping forward.