Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate, announced Monday that he’s voting for his former political opponent Karen Bass for LA mayor without issuing an official endorsement.
Last week, Caruso held a news conference with Bass in the Pacific Palisades, praising her for expediting the rebuilding of the coastal community devastated by the 2025 Palisades Fire. At the time, he did not say who he was supporting or endorsing for LA mayor.
In a statement and a video on his social media account, Caruso said he had “struggled with the choice.”
“I will be casting my ballot for Mayor Karen Bass,” said Caruso, who was overwhelmingly supported by Pacific Palisades voters when he ran for mayor against Bass in 2022.
The businessman, who had announced in January that he was officially out of the races for LA mayor and California governor, suggested he was burying the hatchet with Bass, especially over her handling of the Palisades Fire and her absence when the blaze started.
“But after carefully weighing both candidates and what I believe is best for the future of Los Angeles, I have come to a clear decision,” Caruso said. “For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me. This election must be about our future, not a referendum on the past.”
Caruso’s statement echoed what he discussed during the news conference about “cutting through the red tape” to help his community rebuild. He had mentioned that he and Bass had been working closely together on the rebuilding efforts.
“I believe she is learning from her mistakes, I have seen her grow into this job. I have seen firsthand her dedication, her willingness to work together, and her commitment to helping families and communities rebuild their lives,” Caruso said. “I believe this election should be about who is best equipped to lead Los Angeles forward at a time when our city faces extraordinary challenges.”
In response to Caruso’s announcement, Bass’ campaign issued a statement, thanking him for his support and highlighting their “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. “Together, we worked fast to break ground on the Palisades Recreation Center, the largest public-private partnership in the city. And I made sure that the city stepped up to assist in reopening the Palisades Village.”
And as Caruso had previously criticized Raman for her stance on public safety and her proposal to fire LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Caruso reiterated that he has “serious concerns” about the councilmember, adding that his opposition is more about “competence” rather than ideology.
“This is no time to turn the LAPD into a laboratory for risky DSA social experimentation, as Ramen threatened to do,” Caruso said. “I don’t believe she is prepared for this very tough job. At such a critical moment for our city, we cannot afford uncertainty when it comes to public safety and the future of our neighborhoods.”
It is not immediately clear how much impact Caruso’s announcement would have on Bass’ fight for her political life: the longtime politician, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and as the 67th Speaker of the California State Assembly, has been trailing her challenger Nithya Raman in polls, with nearly one-third of Angelenos saying they were undecided about their choice.
The latest figure from the California Secretary of State’s office showed that 651,528 ballots were cast as of Oct. 25 either through mail-in ballots or in-person early voting. It was not evident how much of the figure came from the city of Los Angeles.
Among over 5.9 million registered voters within the county, nearly 37% of the electorate comes from the city of LA, about 2.18 million.
NBC Los Angeles reached out to Nithya Raman’s campaign for a response.
Constituents in the neighborhood have spoken out against the mayor, who was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana when the Palisades Fire ripped through their area, killing at least 12 people and destroying more than 6,800 structures. While Bass said she was “so profoundly sorry” that she was not in LA when the fire broke out, it remains to be seen whether her apology will change voters’ minds.
LA City Councilmember Traci Park, who stopped short of endorsing Bass, told her constituents during a town hall earlier this month that she is voting for the mayor instead of Raman. Park has been publicly critical of Raman’s votes and track record on public safety, policing and Palisades Fire rebuilding efforts.
“I hear you—I want some change too, but the alternative does not actually get us where we want to be,” Park told her constituents. “I think it actually impedes our progress, and unfortunately will take us back to where we were.”
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