Karen Bass moves ahead of Rick Caruso in L.A. mayor’s race
LOS ANGELES — Karen Bass, the L.A. Mayor’s Association president and the former Los Angeles City Council member running for L.A.’s top job, is now trailing Rick Caruso in the race to become the second-highest elected official in the city.
The L.A. Times has endorsed Caruso, the mayor from 1993 to 2001, over Bass, a former public school teacher who has said she’s “running for mayor because I need the job.”
But Bass, in the last days of her campaign, has made a dramatic move: She has raised more money at a single day-and-time slot than her challenger has raised in the entire race.
Advertisement
And she’s getting a boost from the L.A. City Council, her primary opponent.
Bass has raised more than $600,000 since she launched her campaign last Wednesday, two days early. Caruso has raised around $270,000 in the race, according to City Attorney Mike Feuer.
The next few hours will be crucial, as local Democratic leaders in City Hall will meet to decide who will be the Democratic candidate in a runoff.
In the days leading up to the City Council’s meeting on Tuesday evening, Bass has been trying to build support among the council members who are more liberal on issues like the Los Angeles River.
Those Democrats who are more conservative support Caruso. They include Councilman Paul Koretz, Councilman Paul Krekorian, Councilman Tom LaBonge and Councilmembers Eric Garcetti, Councilman Bernard C. Parks and Dennis Zine, all of whom supported Caruso in the primary.
The primary was won by Caruso over Steve West, a former television news producer and current member of the L.A. City Council. The runoff will be a bit more difficult for Caruso, who is running for a second full term in office.
The L.A. Democratic establishment gave its blessing to West, with the local party’s chair
