CNN political commentator Elex Michaelson pushed back against left-wing LA mayoral candidate Nithya Raman after she criticized AI-generated campaign videos circulating online in support of Spencer Pratt.

“My husband works in Hollywood and to promote your campaign with AI videos in a city that is the core of our entertainment industry feels deeply insulting to so many workers across this city,” Raman said.

“He would say he’s just sharing out other people’s AI videos… and that’s not what he’s doing,” Michelson responded.

Raman was referring to a wave of AI-generated videos portraying both her and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass negatively while boosting Pratt’s campaign. Although the clips were not created by the Pratt campaign itself, Pratt has reposted several of the viral videos on his official X account.

This comes as Pratt gains momentum in the Los Angeles mayoral race, according to a new Emerson College poll released Wednesday. The survey found Bass leading the field with 30% support, followed by Pratt at 22%, while Raman trailed in third place with 19%.

The Emerson polling, conducted May 9–10 ahead of the June 2 primary election, showed all three candidates gaining support as undecided voters begin locking in their choices.

“Nithya Raman started this race with high expectations, but she continues to fall short — with the debate a stark example of her not being up to the job and this poll shows Angelenos recognize that,” a Bass campaign spokesperson told The California Post.

One of the most widely shared AI videos transforms Pratt into a Batman-style superhero tasked with rescuing a dystopian Los Angeles from the Democratic establishment, with Bass depicted as a Joker-like villain.

The blockbuster-inspired clip has drawn major attention online as Pratt’s outsider campaign continues gaining traction in the final weeks before the election.

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