Farrah Abraham briefly set her sights on Austin City Hall — and then hit pause almost as quickly as she announced it. The Teen Mom alum, 34, revealed during a TMZ interview on Thursday, Jan. 15, that she had officially filed paperwork to run for mayor of Austin, Texas the day before. There was just one catch: she learned live on air that the next mayoral election isn’t until 2028.
“I’m super excited to be a candidate for mayor of Austin,” Abraham said enthusiastically. “I’m running super early, so I can’t wait to see who’s going to run with me and challenge me.”
When host Harvey Levin asked why she was launching her campaign so far in advance, Abraham appeared genuinely surprised. She explained that she believed the election was scheduled for 2026 and claimed she’d been told by the city secretary’s office that voting would take place this year, especially with several other elections happening locally.
“I loved that I jumped the gun,” she added with a laugh. “There’s a lot going on locally, so if someone misinterpreted that and told me something different, that’s okay too.”
Not ready to step away from politics entirely, Abraham quickly pivoted. Later that same day, she told local outlet KXAN that her team had refiled paperwork to run for Austin City Council, aiming for the District 5 seat.
Farrah Abraham Is Running for Mayor?!
“I reached out to the city and said, ‘Hey, I’m very serious about this,’” she explained. “I love this city. I live here, I breathe here, and I want to help. I’m doing well, and I see others struggling — I want to jump into the mix.” She even joked, “If I could be a district seat and mayor at the same time, I probably would.”
Originally from Council Bluffs, Nebraska, Abraham has called Austin home since 2013. She rose to fame on 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom in 2009 and is mom to daughter Sophia.
Speaking with KXAN, Abraham said she wants to tackle a wide range of issues at City Hall, with a particular focus on housing affordability and the challenges faced by self-employed workers — especially creatives.
Despite living in District 5, Abraham admitted she wasn’t sure who currently represents it. “I don’t even know who’s in District 5,” she said. “Maybe their names just aren’t big. They don’t come up where I work. People are definitely not enthused with the people in charge of the city — or the districts — or the mayor.”
“I can’t wait to see what’s really going on,” she added. “We’re going to have a really good life. A better life in Austin.”
Abraham isn’t the only reality TV star eyeing public office. Earlier this month, The Hills alum Spencer Pratt announced his own mayoral run — this time in Los Angeles, with the election set for 2026.
Pratt, 42, launched his campaign in the aftermath of the devastating Los Angeles fires that destroyed the home he shared with wife Heidi Montag. Speaking at a Jan. 7 protest titled “They Let Us Burn!”, Pratt criticized city leadership, saying, “The system in Los Angeles isn’t struggling — it’s fundamentally broken.”
“Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles,” he continued. “I’m done waiting for someone else to take real action. That’s why I’m running for mayor.”
The filing deadline for Austin City Council candidates is Aug. 18, while Los Angeles voters will head to the polls for their mayoral race on June 2, 2026.