Rick Caruso appeared to signal informal support for Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday, praising her leadership and efforts to expedite rebuilding in Pacific Palisades while stopping short of formally endorsing her reelection campaign.
“My love for this city transcends politics and I’m going to stand by people who are doing right by the city,” Caruso said.
The billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate commended Bass for moving quickly to address the aftermath of the January 2025 Palisades Fire, saying he was impressed by the pace of her administration’s work.
Caruso pointed to the rebuilding of the Palisades Recreation Center, a more than $50 million public-private partnership led by his nonprofit, Steadfast LA. He said the project would not have been possible without support from the mayor’s office. The project is funded entirely by philanthropic donations, with no taxpayer money going toward its construction.
“This executive order is a good start of helping this city move forward,” Caruso said, referring to the mayor’s latest efforts to accelerate recovery. He added that the city was testing new approaches in Palisades Village and the surrounding community.
Caruso praised Bass’ willingness to challenge longstanding bureaucratic processes rather than retreat to the status quo.
Bass, who defeated Caruso in the 2022 mayoral election, said the two have maintained a working relationship despite their political differences.
“A race is a race,” Bass said. “And when it’s over, as soon as it was over and even before then, if ever there was an issue that impacted the Grove or other initiatives that he was involved in, I always reached out.”
Bass told reporters that Caruso also offered ideas following the fires, adding that her administration evaluated and adopted some of his proposals.
The appearance comes as Bass faces a reelection challenge from City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
During the press conference, Caruso weighed in on the direction of the Los Angeles Police Department, defending Police Chief Jim McDonnell, whom he described as one of the best chiefs in the country. Caruso criticized concerns about Raman’s approach to policing, saying he was worried about the direction she would take the department.
Although Caruso said he knows whom he plans to vote for, he declined to disclose his choice.
Caruso’s comments offered a notable show of support for Bass from a former political rival, even as he stopped short of making an explicit endorsement.
The apparent show of support comes on the heels of Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s endorsement of Raman.
“Los Angeles deserves more than a mayor fighting to keep her job. We deserve a mayor fighting to do the job,” Horvath said outside Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday.
Horvath accused Bass of failing to deliver on promises to address homelessness and improve the economy. She also criticized Bass’ absence during the Palisades Fire, contrasting with Caruso’s praise of the mayor’s recovery efforts.
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