Billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso has announced that he plans to vote for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in her reelection bid, choosing to support the incumbent over City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Caruso, who ran against Bass in the 2022 mayoral election, said his decision followed their work together on rebuilding efforts after the Palisades Fire. The developer is known for projects including The Grove and Palisades Village.
In a video posted to X on Monday, Caruso said he was putting past disagreements aside and focusing on the city’s future.
“For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me because this election must be about our future … I will be casting my ballot for Mayor Karen Bass,” Caruso said.
Caruso Says Palisades Fire Recovery Influenced His Decision
Caruso acknowledged that he and Bass have disagreed over challenges facing Los Angeles. However, he said their work together on recovery and rebuilding efforts following the Palisades Fire helped restore his confidence in the mayor.
“I believe she is learning from her mistakes,” Caruso said in his video statement.
He added that Los Angeles continues to face significant challenges and said he believes Bass is the right person to lead the city through them.
Caruso also told CBS LA that he spoke with Bass shortly before making his endorsement public. According to Caruso, he asked her to commit to working together to make major changes and move Los Angeles forward. He said Bass agreed.
Caruso Raises Concerns About Nithya Raman
Caruso also explained why he would not support Raman, who is challenging Bass for the mayor’s office.
“It is not so much about ideology, but about competence,” Caruso said, arguing that he does not believe Raman has presented a comprehensive plan to address Los Angeles’ challenges.
When CBS LA requested a response from Raman’s campaign, the campaign provided a link to a press conference on YouTube from the previous week. During the event, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lyndsey Horvath announced her endorsement of Raman.
The campaign’s response, as described by CBS LA, pointed to Horvath’s endorsement rather than a direct statement addressing Caruso’s criticism.
Karen Bass Welcomes Caruso’s Support
Bass said she was honored by Caruso’s announcement and expressed interest in continuing to work with him if she wins reelection.
“Rick and I have a long history of working together to solve big problems. Rick and his nonprofit, Steadfast LA, have been an invaluable partner in our work to rebuild the Palisades and get families back into their homes,” Bass said in a statement.
Caruso’s endorsement marks a notable development in the Los Angeles mayoral contest, given that he was Bass’ opponent in the 2022 election.
Bass won that race with 53.1% of the vote. Her latest endorsement from Caruso comes as voters consider the candidates’ approaches to the city’s ongoing challenges, including recovery and rebuilding following the Palisades Fire.
