Austin has ties to Spencer Pratt's LA mayoral campaign

The intrigue: Pratt, a registered Republican who lost his own home in the fires and who has become a symbol of revolt against Democratic governance, is getting campaign contributions from across the country.

Follow the money: Pratt's campaign got $1,800 — the maximum allowable amount — from Joe Lonsdale, the Austin-based managing partner of venture capital firm 8VC and chairman of the board of the libertarian-minded Cicero Institute.

• In 2024, Lonsdale helped establish America PAC, a super PAC associated with Elon Musk aimed at supporting the Trump campaign. He recently hosted a fundraiser headlined by JD Vance for the Republican National Committee.

Plus: The Pratt campaign also paid $20,000 to Austin-based law firm Lex Politica for "legal defense," per campaign finance filings.

• Lex Politica is headed by Chris Gober, who served as a director for America PAC and who is now the Republican nominee for a congressional seat that stretches from Austin to East Texas. (The 10th Congressional District seat is currently occupied by U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican.)

Lonsdale, Lex Politica and the Pratt campaign did not immediately respond to an Axios request for comment.