Spencer Pratt Says he Turned Into a Gun Slinging Republican as a Hated Reality Star

Spencer Pratt says he became a Republican because he received a ton of death threats as a reality star — so he decided to align himself with the party that supports gun ownership.

The former star of "The Hills" turned Los Angeles mayoral candidate sat down for an interview Thursday with CNN journalist Elex Michaelson, who asked Spencer at one point why he's a Republican.

Spencer started off by saying Elex was going to break some news before explaining that he was getting a slew of death threats because he was once a "hated reality star."

He said his security team told him to buy firearms, which is what Spencer and his wife, Heidi, did to protect themselves in "dangerous" Los Angeles.

Spencer also said he obtained "CCWs," which are permits to carry concealed weapons that have the support of the Republican party.

And it was that support, Spencer says, that led him down the Republican path for his own safety and that of his family.