Rick Caruso just forced sitting LA Rep. Karen Bass into a runoff to lead the country’s second-largest Democratic stronghold.
Votes are still being tabulated in Los Angeles County, but one thing is certain: the contest to lead the country’s second largest city will be decided in a November runoff between longtime Democratic Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso. Despite recent polls showing Bass with a slight lead over Caruso, the votes counted so far show her slightly behind (37 percent to Caruso’s 42 percent share as of Wednesday afternoon) — it appears she’s splitting progressive and activist-minded voters’ preference with other left-leaning Democrats on the mayoral ballot. That’s led to a closer race than expected, and not necessarily the outcome Caruso supporters might have wanted: candidates can win the mayor’s office outright if they win a majority of the vote in the primary. And though he may exit the primary as the candidate with the most votes, now that progressive voters, party activists, and community organizers will be able to rally behind Bass to train their attention on just one candidate, Caruso faces an uphill battle to win over voters who may be more amenable to Bass’s liberal track record and platform. Who is Rick Caruso? Caruso’s strength in the primary is still shocking, given how long Bass was seen as the frontrunner in the race. Up until Caruso announced his candidacy on the final day he could file to be listed on the ballot, Bass was the clear favorite to win the election. But Caruso’s support quickly climbed in the final weeks of the campaign. That surge in support is due to both his outreach and the issues that motivated the dismally low number of voters who turned out: crime, perceptions of public safety, homelessness, and affordability. Caruso is a Los Angeles institution, born into a family that first settled in the city in the 1920s. He’s well known for his massive shopping mall developments, which blend high-end stores with movie theaters, various restaurants, and housing. He hosted his primary night returns party at one of these malls — the Grove in the Fairfax district of Central LA — and has deep ties to a number of schools in the city as an alumnus, donor, and parent, including the University of Southern California.
