Google co-founder Sergey Brin, one of the world’s richest men, maxed out his donations to Spencer Pratt just days before the June 2 Los Angeles mayoral primary election.
Pratt was underestimated going into the election, a reality television star who seemed unlikely to be taken seriously in politics. But The Hills alum appears to have chipped away at the naysayers’ doubts by using the cost-of-living crisis and quality-of-life issues facing Los Angeles against incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass. If polling holds, Pratt, a registered Republican running as an independent, could advance to the runoff election in November, and Pratt has become a fundraising powerhouse, outraising all other candidates.
Among those donating to his campaign are some extremely wealthy people, like Brin.
On Wednesday, Brin donated $1,800 to Pratt’s campaign, according to records reviewed by Newsweek. As of Monday, Brin is the world’s fourth richest man with a net worth of $282 billion. His primary source of wealth comes from his shares in Google, which he co-founded with Larry Page. He served as president of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, until 2019.
Newsweek reached out to Brin for comment via email.
While the $1,800 donation is relatively small by billionaire standards, it’s the maximum Brin can legally give in the Los Angeles mayoral race. It also demonstrates a growing trend: Pratt is no longer a fringe candidate, but a serious contender who’s tapping into widespread sentiments in Los Angeles, and even the wealthy are betting he could win.
Spencer Pratt’s Billionaire Donors
Brin isn’t the only billionaire who’s donating to Pratt’s campaign. Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss each donated $1,800 to Pratt in May, about a week before Brin did. The Winklevoss twins, who are known for their legal battle that alleged Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook, are each worth about $2.6 billion, according to Forbes.
Spencer Pratt Celebrity Donors and Supporters
Pratt has garnered significant support from fellow celebrities. Among those supporting his campaign is gossip blogger Perez Hilton, who is the godfather of Pratt’s son with wife Heidi Pratt, Gunnar. Although Hilton can’t vote in the election, because he doesn’t live in Los Angeles, he’s been campaigning online for the former The Hills star. But, he hasn’t given any money to his campaign because, as Hilton told Newsweek, “he doesn’t need my money.”
The Real World star Johnny Devenanzio, more commonly known as Johnny Bananas, posted on Instagram that he cast his ballot for Pratt on Monday during early voting. Devenanzio hasn’t donated to Pratt’s campaign, though, according to official records.
Singer and actor Katharine McPhee has donated $1,024 to Pratt and hosted a fundraiser at her home with her husband, composer David Foster. Foster maxed out his donations to Pratt, giving him $1,800, according to records reviewed by Newsweek. Foster, who was once stepfather to Brody Jenner, one of Pratt’s best friends growing up, famously grew irritated with Pratt’s antics on the reality TV show Princes of Malibu.
McPhee previously told Newsweek that she’s supporting Pratt in part because of the “overall decline in quality of life” for people living in Los Angeles. Having grown up there, she criticized politicians for not prioritizing public safety and allowing open drug use.
“We’ve had many of the same career politicians leading the city for a long time, and I think people are hungry for fresh perspectives and accountability. That’s what resonated with me about Spencer’s campaign,” McPhee said.
Other celebrities who have donated to Pratt’s campaign include:
Ginger Gaetz, the wife of former Representative Matt GaetzActor Wendy MonizComedian and filmmaker Mike BinderPolitical commentator Meghan McCainDoug Reinhardt, who appeared on The Hills with PrattProducer Jeff JenkinsFormer Real Housewives of Miami star Joanna Krupa
Celebrities Maxing Out Donations to Spencer Pratt
While not a billionaire, Justin Mateen is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars since he created Tinder, and he’s using some of that money to try to help Pratt win. He maxed out his donation at $1,800, as did Daniel Broukhim, the cofounder of FabFitFun, which was valued at just under $1 billion in January 2019.
Former Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush also gave Pratt $1,800 on May 21. Bush previously told Newsweek that this was the first year he made a political donation, giving to Pratt and also his brother, Jonathan Bush, for his campaign to become Maine’s governor. He co-hosted a lunch with his girlfriend in April to help fundraise for Pratt and told Newsweek that Los Angeles is a “mess.”
“[I] will be supporting Spencer here in Los Angeles as we desperately try and save this once beautiful west coast paradise. It’s less about partisan politics and more about accountability and change,” Bush said.
Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch and Sir Lucien Grainge, CEO of Universal Music Group, both gave the maximum amount allowed to Pratt’s campaign, as did Kevin Weaver, president of Atlantic Music Group.
Rodger Berman also gave Pratt the maximum amount allowed in May. Reality TV fans will recognize Berman from The Rachel Zoe Project, a reality television show that followed him and his then-wife, Rachel Zoe, as they ran her company as a celebrity stylist. The two divorced in 2025.
Spencer Pratt’s Chances of Beating Karen Bass
Recent polling underscores just how competitive the Los Angeles mayoral race has become. A recent Los Angeles Times poll showed Pratt in third, with Bass at 26 percent and progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman at 25 percent.
A poll from McLaughlin and Associates conducted in the days leading up to the election showed Pratt winning by one point. Other polls have consistently shown Pratt coming in second behind Bass, although it’s a tight contest among Pratt, Bass and Raman.
A poll released in mid-May from Emerson College showed Bass’ support at 30 percent and Pratt’s at 22 percent. A previous poll from March showed Pratt trailing Bass by 10 points.
Bass has a 62 percent chance of winning, according to prediction market Kalshi, compared to Pratt’s 27 percent. It’s about the same gap since Pratt announced his candidacy back in January. Polymarket gives Bass similar odds, at 64 percent, and puts Pratt at 22 percent.
California’s primaries are nonpartisan, but they do require a candidate to get over 50 percent of the vote. If a candidate doesn’t break that threshold, the primary will go to a runoff, which will take place in the first week of November. If Pratt wins, either during the June 2 election or in November, he’ll be the first Republican mayor in the city in 25 years.
