Former Bass opponent Rick Caruso now says he will vote for her reelection as mayor – Los Angeles Times

Former Bass opponent Rick Caruso now says he will vote for her reelection as mayor  Los Angeles Times

Billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who spent more than $100 million of his own money in his failed campaign against Karen Bass for mayor four years ago, said Monday that he plans to vote for her over challenger Nithya Raman. Caruso said his close work with the mayor over the last few months as part of the Palisades fire rebuilding process convinced him that Bass would learn from past mistakes and perform better in a second term. "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," he said in a statement.

The statement doesn't amount to an endorsement, a spokesperson for Caruso said, but instead simply informs people for whom Caruso planned to vote. The Raman campaign declined to comment. Bass said she was honored to have Caruso's vote. "Rick and I have a long history of working together to solve big problems," she said in a statement. "I look forward to working with him over the next four years to solve major problems in our city." Caruso's statement doesn't come as a complete surprise. Appearing with Bass at an event at his Palisades Village shopping center last week, Caruso voiced concerns over Raman's stated intention to replace Los Angeles