Just hours after his hopes for Los Angeles mayor came crashing down, Spencer Pratt appeared to send a cryptic message to followers, posting an image of a lone duck floating on calm water at sunset as outrage over the election result erupted around him.
The reality TV personality, who entered the race after his California home burned down last year, failed to secure a place in November’s runoff election, setting off a firestorm among supporters, political allies and members of his own family.
The image triggered a similar flurry of speculation over what the image could mean.
“Sitting duck,” one person commented. “Like water off a duck’s back,” said another, including a folded hands emoji.
Pratt has not publicly explained the meaning behind his sunset duck post, but it arrived as supporters continued to challenge the result and debate the future of his unlikely political campaign.
Incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and far-left City Councilwoman Nithya Raman advanced to the runoff while Pratt was eliminated Monday.
At a press conference Tuesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton condemned the outcome and criticized California’s top-two primary system, which sends the two highest vote-getters to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
“Spencer Pratt put forward an unbelievably compelling case for change in Los Angeles,” Hilton said. “I think that what’s happened with Spencer Pratt is a travesty.”
Further controversy emerged when Stephanie Pratt claimed she was unable to vote for her brother because his name allegedly did not appear on her ballot.
“I tried to vote twice for my brother with my Palisades address (I have my own home there),” Pratt said while commenting on an investigation into alleged voter fraud being led by Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California.
“He was NOT on the ballot either time and they told me I couldn’t try a 3rd time.”
The mayoral result also sparked fierce reactions online, with Republican and MAGA figures denouncing the outcome after Pratt failed to make the November runoff in the nation’s second-largest city.
President Donald Trump weighed in before the race was officially called, questioning how Pratt could have lost.
“Not possible for Spencer Pratt to have lost the L.A. runoffs after the big lead he had. 3rd World Nation. Rigged Elections! Now they’ll be working on great guy Steve Hilton. Won’t have results for, possibly, TWO WEEKS, according to officials. President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social hours before the race was called in favor of Raman.
Pratt had previously suggested he could leave California if voters rejected his campaign, saying he may move to Arkansas should he lose the race.
