Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt issued a bold challenge to rival incumbent Mayor Karen Bass as the two appeared poised to advance to the November runoff election.
During his election night watch party on Tuesday, he took a shot at her and said the highlight of his campaign had been debating her.
“I loved debating her on NBC. I look forward to a couple more on NBC, and Fox,” he said.
Bass, who was declared one of the winners of the Los Angeles mayoral primary, will advance to the runoff election.
Pratt, who holds a lead of at least 10 points over lefty City Councilmember Nithya Raman, appears likely to face Bass in November.
“We can do debates every Friday if she would like, because it’s actually become my favorite thing to do. So, yes, as many debates as Mayor Bass would like,” Pratt said.
“She knows it’s on. I hope she’s ready, you know, because I am. I literally could not be more excited,” he added.
Pratt said he will spend the next five months working to win over Bass supporters by making the case that he is the right person for the job, emphasizing that he is running for the city rather than along party lines.
Pratt is a registered Democrat and, if elected, would become the first Republican mayor of Los Angeles in more than 20 years.
As of Wednesday, with 60% of the vote counted, Bass led with 34.8% of the vote, totaling 172,720 votes. Pratt followed with 30.4%, or 151,149 votes, while Raman trailed at approximately 22%, with 110,848 votes.