Caruso Backs Bass, Citing Leadership Gap
Los Angeles operators with city-facing projects should watch how business leaders weigh experience against policy in the mayoral contest.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Remote Work
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Los Angeles real estate developer Rick Caruso, a billionaire businessman who ran against Karen Bass for mayor four years ago, announced he will vote to reelect her over City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. For Los Angeles businesses, the endorsement signals how a prominent business voice is weighing leadership experience against policy positions heading into the city's leadership decisions.
Why it matters
Caruso said he agrees with some of Raman's positions but judges her not ready to lead the city, framing his decision as forward-looking. For operators, the reasoning highlights that leadership experience is being weighed as a distinct factor from policy agreement in how influential local business figures evaluate city government.
The source provides no quantitative figures for the endorsement. The reported comparison is Caruso's prior mayoral run against Karen Bass four years ago, which contrasts with his current choice to support her.
The players
Rick Caruso
Caruso is a Los Angeles real estate developer and billionaire businessman whose prior mayoral run against Karen Bass gives his current endorsement particular weight in local business circles.
Karen Bass
Karen Bass is the sitting mayor of Los Angeles, whose administration oversees city business permitting, development approvals, and municipal policy affecting local companies.
Nithya Raman
Nithya Raman is a Los Angeles city councilwoman whose proposals on public safety leadership have drawn business and political attention in the race.
The details
Caruso announced his voting decision earlier this week, describing it as forward-looking rather than a reaction to the campaign's past contest. He stated that he agrees with some of Nithya Raman's positions, yet argued she does not have enough leadership experience to run the city. Raman has taken the position that she would fire LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell on her first day in office, a stance that sits at the center of the policy divide in the race.
Timeline
Four years ago: Caruso ran against Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor.
Earlier this week (week of October 31, 2026): Caruso announced he will vote to reelect Bass.
Market Landscape
Caruso's 2022 mayoral run against Karen Bass makes his current endorsement a reversal that business observers will read as a signal about local political alignment. The shift places a prominent developer's voice on the side of the incumbent just as the city's leadership contest takes shape.
Operators in Los Angeles should note the mayoral race's direction as it may shape city policy on business permitting and development approvals. Keeping an eye on how local business leaders position themselves can inform planning around municipal relationships.
The takeaway
Track the Los Angeles mayoral race as it develops, since the outcome will determine the city leadership that sets permitting and development rules for local businesses. Operators with projects tied to city approvals should monitor candidate positions on public safety and governance as the election nears.
Further reading
For broader context on how work and business operations are changing across the region, explore our Remote Work coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fox40 KTXL.
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