EP 191: Battle For California: Spencer Pratt’s Rise In LA & The Fight To Replace Gavin Newsom

About this episode

Peter Hamby discusses the political landscape in California, focusing on the governor's race and the Los Angeles mayoral race.

Peter Hamby joins us to break down the high-stakes political races shaping California ahead of the June 2 primary — from the crowded governor’s race to the increasingly unpredictable battle for mayor of Los Angeles. Hamby, host of Snapchat’s “Good Luck America,” political correspondent at Puck, and host of the “Powers That Be” podcast, explains why Democrats in America’s bluest major state remain divided and without a clear frontrunner to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. The conversation dives into the frontrunners, whether former Fox News host Steve Hilton has a chance to win statewide as a Republican, and Newsom’s role in the race as he looks to 2028. The episode also explores the fascinating Los Angeles mayoral race, where incumbent mayor Karen Bass is facing a surprising surge from reality TV star and influencer Spencer Pratt. Hamby explains why Pratt’s social media-first campaign strategy is resonating with some voters — and whether it represents a new playbook for modern political campaigns. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠⁠@mosheh⁠⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News…

People in this episode

Host: Mosheh Oinounou

Guest: Peter Hamby

Topics covered

• California politics
• governor's race
• Los Angeles mayoral race
• social media campaigns
• Democratic party divisions
• political strategy

Keywords

• California
• Gavin Newsom
• Spencer Pratt
• political races
• Los Angeles
• social media strategy
• Democrats
• Steve Hilton

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Snapchat, Puck, Fox News, Bloomberg Television, CBS News, Mo News, Powers That Be

More episodes of Mo News - The Interview

• EP 190: 'Suicidal Empathy': Gad Saad On Immigration, Gender & The Future Of The West · June 3, 2026 · 57 min
• EP 189: What Living With AI For A Year Tells Us About The Future: Interview With Joanna Stern · May 22, 2026 · 53 min
• EP 188: Mother's Day Special Episode: The Recipe for Real Happiness + Live Meditation · May 17, 2026 · 59 min
• EP 187: Iran: What Comes Next? A Conversation With Jason Rezaian · May 13, 2026 · 28 min
• EP 186: Next 9/11 Threat May Be Emerging In Africa: A Conversation With AFRICOM General Dagvin Anderson · May 11, 2026 · 49 min
• EP 185: Stressed Out? How to Build Resilience Before You Burn Out · May 7, 2026 · 49 min