Sen. Ted Cruz tore into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, arguing Angelinos’ quality of life has sharply declined, while praising Spencer Pratt’s attacks on her policies and saying those ads resonate because they reflect “a real truth.”
Sen. Ted Cruz didn’t just wade into the Los Angeles mayoral race—he went after its central figure, Karen Bass, with a blunt description of daily life in the city under her leadership.
In remarks made May 18, 2026, Cruz said things are “so bad in Los Angeles” under Bass. In the same breath, he voiced support for Spencer Pratt, explaining that he thinks Pratt’s message has traction.
The exchange came during a Capitol Hill conversation. where Cruz was asked whether a potential Trump endorsement would help or hurt Spencer in what was described as a solid blue area.. Cruz said he didn’t know what the result of a Trump endorsement would be—but he also didn’t think it would matter either way.. His point: even without any endorsement shift. he believes Angelinos are already living through a steep decline in their quality of life under Bass.
Cruz tied that decline to what he called Bass’s “devastating” policies. pointing to issues Pratt has been attacking in political ads.. Cruz said Pratt has been “ripping Bass” in those spots. and that the ads are going viral because. in Cruz’s words. “they speak to a real truth” about conditions in areas including wildfires. crime. drug use in the streets. and homelessness.
The senator’s argument landed on what he described as the lived reality of even the most liberal voters in Los Angeles. Cruz said that, in his view, even a liberal voter doesn’t want their kids dodging homeless people on the way to school—or having to step over human feces on the way to work.
What comes next is unclear. There’s no word on whether, or when, Spencer Pratt might pick up a Trump endorsement—but Cruz’s comments suggest he’s already offering something close to a political nudge, framing the effectiveness of Pratt’s attacks as the story rather than any single endorsement.
Cruz’s view is simple and forceful: Pratt’s attacks on Bass are spreading because they mirror what Cruz says people are enduring every day.
Ted Cruz Karen Bass Spencer Pratt Los Angeles mayoral race wildfires crime homelessness drug use political attack ads Trump endorsement viral ads
So Cruz is basically saying the ads are true… ok but wildfires and crime aren’t just “politics.”
Spencer Pratt attacking Bass?? I feel like I’ve seen that guy on TV commercials forever. If the ads are going viral it’s probably cuz everyone in LA is tired of the same stuff, but I still don’t trust any of it.
Wait I thought Ted Cruz was talking about Spencer Pratt as like a personal thing? Like he’s endorsing him already?? Also “Trump endorsement wouldn’t matter” sounds like he does know it’ll matter but he’s pretending lol.
LA quality of life declined blah blah. I get it but Cruz always yells like it’s 2016. And wildfires are climate, not mayor tweets. Also isn’t Bass the one who banned something years ago? People act like homelessness is an instant switch. Ads going viral don’t automatically mean they’re right, just means people are mad.