Los Angeles mayoral candidate and former reality TV star Spencer Pratt is revealing the moment he decided to register as a Republican.
During a Thursday night interview with CNN’s Elex Michaelson, Pratt teased his response by asking, “you want to break some news here?”
The former reality star said years of backlash during his TV fame led to serious concerns about protecting himself and his family.
CNN
“When I was a hated reality star, I got so many death threats,” Pratt said. “I had so much security and police, and what did they tell me to do? Get a gun.”
Pratt argued LA is “dangerous if you’re hated,” adding that both he and his wife eventually purchased firearms.
The mayoral hopeful said the couple later sought CCWs, permits to carry concealed weapons, and claimed Republican support for concealed carry rights influenced his political alignment.
“The only people that supported a CCW was a Republican,” Pratt said.
Pratt is registered as a Republican but running for Los Angeles mayor as an independent.
Pratt has a conversation with Elex Michaelson. CNN
He also noted that he followed legal procedures and completed firearms training before obtaining his permit.
During the interview with Michaelson, Pratt also compared himself to Barack Obama when asked which modern politician he aligns most with.
Former US President Barack Obama AFP via Getty Images
Michaelson also interviewed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who shrugged off questions about her pledge to end street homelessness in the city, blaming “bureaucratic barriers” for her failure to follow through on promises she made when first elected.
Michaelson is expected to interview mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman on Thursday.
