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U.S. Rep. Karen Bass defeated developer Rick Caruso to become the next mayor of Los Angeles on Wednesday, making her the first Black woman to hold the post as City Hall contends with an out-of-control homeless crisis, rising crime rates and multiple scandals that have shaken trust in government.
With more than 70% of the vote tallied, Bass had amassed an insurmountable lead of nearly 47,000 votes. She had 53.1%, with Caruso notching 46.9%.
Bass was working in her congressional office in Los Angeles when she was informed by an aide she had won the race.
“We are in a fight for the soul of our city,” Bass said at an election night rally. “We are going to build a new Los Angeles.”
Bass — a Democrat who was on President-elect Joe Biden’s shortlist for vice president — overcame more than $100 million in spending by the billionaire Caruso’s campaign while arguing that she would be a coalition builder who could heal a troubled city of nearly 4 million.
The election tested whether voters in the heavily Democratic city were willing to turn away from their liberal tendencies and embrace an approach that would place a strong emphasis on public safety.
Caruso, a former Republican who became a Democrat shortly before entering the race, had represented a turn to the political right.
